Government forces seize capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region from rebels
Pro-government forces said on Sunday they had regained control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, with the Tigray Peace Forces militia stating on Facebook that its fighters controlled the city and a source close to the militia saying it entered the centre on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military. The Tigray People's Liberation Front, which leads the opposition alliance, said in a statement that it had retreated from the capital and that the regional government would be temporarily moved out of Mekelle and operate from somewhere else. A humanitarian source and a Mekelle resident confirmed the city was in the hands of government forces and their allies.
Why it matters: The loss of Mekelle bears on conflict escalation in the Horn of Africa, where analysts say the fighting threatens to widen into a regional conflict and the federal government has severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea.