Ethiopia Regains Mekelle Airport as Federal Push Advances on Three Fronts
Ethiopian National Defence Forces regained control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle on October 3, 2026, according to a source with knowledge of events and a humanitarian source cited in reporting that day.
The airfield lies about 10 km (6 miles) from central Mekelle, the capital of Tigray. It was one of three Tigray airfields seized by rebel forces when fighting started on September 23, 2026, along with Axum and Shire. Tigrayan forces detained federal personnel during those seizures, according to Al Jazeera. Civilian air service was disrupted, and Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights across Tigray.
TPLF fighters and leaders were seen leaving Mekelle on October 3, according to a local journalist and residents cited by AFP. Federal troops had not been seen inside Mekelle itself at the time of that reporting. A militia group allied with the federal government separately said it had retaken the main airport in Mekelle, according to Reuters. An earlier account on October 1 said the TPLF had shifted fighters to new positions and moved some leaders out of the city.
The reported change at the airport followed a federal counteroffensive. As of October 2 reporting, the Ethiopian military and allied fighters had advanced into Tigray since fighting erupted. The government is pushing toward Mekelle along three routes, according to the Critical Threats Project. Think of paved airfields as highway interchanges for air operations. They let airplanes deliver supplies, fly out wounded troops, and support forces operating beyond road-bound columns.
Independent confirmation has been limited. Al Jazeera reported on October 3 that it could not independently confirm the claims about Mekelle because media access is heavily restricted and communications are cut. Internet and telecom networks were disrupted in Tigray and war-affected northern Ethiopia in September 2026, according to a web monitor. That outage makes it hard to independently check troop positions, civilian harm and displacement.
Fighting began September 23, when Tigrayan forces and allies attacked federal troops in several places. Rebels announced in September a seven-party coalition led by the TPLF. Blasts were heard in Addis Ababa as fighting spread in the north. The national army fought the TPLF for two years until late 2022. Ethiopian Airlines had previously cancelled flights to Tigray after clashes, as reported on January 29, 2026.
The broader context here is a fight for momentum after a rebel opening move. Taking three airports gave Tigrayan forces leverage and limited federal movement by air. Losing the Mekelle airport, if confirmed, would undo part of that advantage and put pressure on Tigrayan command in its political center. Air links have also carried aid workers and supplies in the past when roads were unsafe.
Looking at what comes next, much depends on whether federal forces enter Mekelle and whether the TPLF departure was a collapse, a negotiated pullback or a shift to defenses outside the city. A three-route advance points to an effort to squeeze Tigrayan forces rather than rely on one road. For diplomats and aid planners, the near-term questions are restoration of communications, safety of detained personnel, status of civilian airspace, and whether a coalition structure spreads fighting beyond Tigray.
