ADDIS ABABA, September 30, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias have claimed control of Alamata in Tigray, a strategically important town that could open a route toward the regional capital Mekelle as a fragile four-year-old peace deal gives way to renewed fighting.
The pro-government Tigrai Peace Force said the town had been captured after a Tigrayan offensive launched last week. Video it posted, verified by Reuters, showed soldiers moving through Alamata while carrying Ethiopian flags. Two diplomatic sources also said the town had fallen, while a source linked to Tigrayan forces said they were withdrawing and expected federal troops to take full control within hours. The Ethiopian military and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Alamata lies about 120 kilometers south of Mekelle, making it an important supply point for troops, food and fuel near Tigray’s border with Amhara. The town changed hands repeatedly during Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 civil war, which ended with the Pretoria peace agreement in November 2022.
The renewed fighting has effectively shattered that fragile settlement and raised fears of a wider conflict involving Tigray, Amhara and Afar. The escalation comes as the Horn of Africa is already under pressure from Sudan’s civil war, disputes over Red Sea access and the spillover of conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East.
The TPLF and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal government have spent months accusing each other of violating the Pretoria agreement. Three days before last week’s offensive, the TPLF announced an alliance with six other armed groups seeking to remove Abiy’s government.
Ethiopia’s military chief, Berhanu Jula, has also accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting opposition forces. Eritrea and Sudan’s army have denied the allegations. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nader Zaki said Cairo respects the “sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity” of states and rejects actions that could undermine regional peace and stability.
The fighting is also cutting off Tigray from the outside world. Internet and telephone services remained disrupted for a fourth day, while flights were suspended after Tigrayan forces took control of three airports last week. Daniel Meruts, a lawyer from Mekelle stranded in Addis Ababa, said he had been unable to contact his family after communications were cut.
Médecins Sans Frontières said the number of war-wounded arriving at hospitals in Korem and Alamata more than doubled last week. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it evacuated 161 people from Mekelle to Semera in neighboring Afar on Monday, including African Union monitors, federal police personnel, Ethiopian Airlines staff and Red Cross workers.
The humanitarian pressure is especially concerning in a region still recovering from the 2020-2022 war and now facing drought linked to El Niño. Any further advance toward Mekelle could deepen fears of a return to the communications, food and medical supply disruptions that marked the earlier conflict.