Ethiopian forces, along with the Tigray Peace Force (TPF), have reported expanding their control in the Tigray region, including the entry into Aksum, a historic city, according to sources cited by Al Jazeera.
The TPF spokesperson, Solomon Hailemariam, claimed Eritrean forces suffered significant casualties and withdrew towards their border. However, Eritrea's Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, dismissed these claims as false.
Independent assessment by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) confirmed Ethiopian government and TPF forces entering Aksum, while Tigrayan fighters remained in the surrounding mountains. It also noted Eritrean forces withdrawing across the border via Zalambessa.
Selam, a resident from Zalambessa, described a tense situation, with no active fighting but a week-long absence of power and water, highlighting the town's precarious position between Ethiopian and Eritrean troops.
Ethiopian military movements, including tanks near the Eritrean border, have raised concerns about potential escalations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, along with Sudan and Egypt, of supporting opposition groups, charges which all three neighboring countries have denied.
The TPF supports Ethiopian federal forces against Tigrayan rebels linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which recently relocated its regional administration after Ethiopian forces captured Tigray's capital, Mekelle.
Amid these developments, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged de-escalation in a call with Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, stressing the region’s inability to bear further conflict.
