ethiopia #tigray #mekelle #tplf #hornofafrica

ETHIOPIAN FORCES CLOSE IN ON TIGRAY CAPITAL AS CONFLICT ESCALATES

Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias have advanced toward Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, in one of the most significant military escalations since renewed fighting broke out last week. The pro government Tigray Peace Forces says it has captured Milazat, about 20 kilometers southeast of Mekelle, while residents in the regional capital report shuttered banks and shops as fears grow that the conflict could reach the city itself. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael has said his forces are preparing a counteroffensive. The advance comes as Ethiopia’s confrontation with Eritrea and Egypt deepens, raising fears that what began as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia could expand into a broader regional conflict.