6 days ago
Pro-Government Forces Claim Capture of Strategic Tigray Town
Ethiopian government forces say they captured the town of Alamata in the Tigray region.
Alamata is important because it helps move supplies such as food and fuel.
Two diplomatic sources also said the town had fallen.
Another source said government forces had entered, but it was not clear if they controlled the whole town.
A video showed soldiers carrying Ethiopian flags, but Reuters could not verify it.
The fighting has restarted after a peace agreement ended an earlier war.
Ethiopia’s military accused neighboring countries of helping its opponents, but some of those countries denied the claims.
Phone and internet networks in Tigray were still disrupted, raising fears of another humanitarian crisis.
Ethiopian military forces and allied militiamen reportedly captured Alamata, a strategic town south of Mekelle.
Two diplomatic sources said Alamata had fallen, while a third said pro-government forces had entered but control remained unclear.
The town is an important supply hub near Tigray’s border with Amhara and has changed hands several times.
Renewed fighting has broken a peace agreement that ended Ethiopia’s 2020–2022 civil war.
Ethiopia’s military accused Eritrea, Sudan’s armed forces and Egypt of supporting opposition forces, but Eritrea and Sudan denied the allegations.
- Who
- Ethiopian military forces and allied militiamen, opposed by forces led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
- What
- Pro-government forces claimed to have captured the strategic town of Alamata, although control of the town was not independently confirmed.
- Where
- Alamata, in southern Tigray near the border with the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
- When
- September 28, after fighting resumed the previous Wednesday.
- Why
- Alamata is an important supply hub, and the capture would support federal forces advancing toward Mekelle.
Pro-Government Account
Cautious and Opposition Perspective
Who controls Alamata
Pro-Government Account
A pro-government militia said Ethiopian military forces and allied militiamen captured Alamata, and two diplomatic sources said the town had fallen.
Cautious and Opposition Perspective
A third diplomatic source said pro-government forces had entered Alamata but that it was not yet clear whether they fully controlled it; Reuters could not independently verify video from the town.
Foreign support for opposition forces
Pro-Government Account
Ethiopia’s top military commander accused Eritrea, Sudan’s armed forces and Egypt of supporting opposition forces.
Cautious and Opposition Perspective
Eritrea and Sudan’s army denied the accusations, while Egypt did not immediately respond; the Tigray People’s Liberation Front did not immediately comment.
Responsibility for communications disruption
Pro-Government Account
The disruption has raised concerns about a return to the restrictions seen during the earlier war.
Cautious and Opposition Perspective
Four sources told Reuters that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front had ordered the networks shut down, but the group did not respond to requests for comment.
Key facts
- Town involved
- Alamata, south of Tigray’s regional capital Mekelle
- Reported distance
- About 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Mekelle
- Strategic value
- A supply hub for troops, food and fuel near Tigray’s southern border
- Control status
- Two diplomatic sources said the town had fallen; a third said full control was unclear
- Peace agreement
- The Pretoria Agreement ended the 2020–2022 civil war
- Communications
- Internet and phone networks in Tigray remained disrupted for a fourth day
- Displacement
- Around 750,000 Tigrayans were still internally displaced as of February, according to the UN refugee agency
Sources
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