Ethiopian forces claim control of strategic town Alamata

Ethiopian government forces and allied militias have claimed control of the strategic town of Alamata, reversing a recent advance by Tigrayan forces. Located approximately 120 kilometers south of Mekelle, Alamata serves as a vital transport and supply hub near the border of the Amhara region.

Pro-government Tigrai Peace Force footage showed soldiers marching through the town with Ethiopian flags. Diplomatic sources and contacts linked to opposition forces corroborated reports that Tigrayan fighters are retreating from the area. This development follows a recent offensive by Tigrayan forces that included the seizure of airports in Mekelle, Axum, and Shire, leading Ethiopian Airlines to suspend commercial flights to those cities.

The renewed hostilities signal a breakdown of the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which had ended the previous civil war between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The escalation increases instability across the Horn of Africa.