Ethiopian Federal Forces Recapture Alamata as Northern Conflict Resumes

Ethiopian federal forces and allied militias have recaptured the strategic town of Alamata in southern Tigray, marking a significant shift in a rapidly expanding conflict that has shattered the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. The Tigray Peace Force, a pro-government militia fighting alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), announced the capture on September 28, 2026, following days of intense infantry assaults and artillery barrages. Alamata, located approximately 120 kilometers south of the regional capital Mekelle, serves as a critical supply hub near the Tigray-Amhara border and exchanged hands multiple times during the 2020-2022 civil war.[1][2]

The federal advance follows a major offensive launched on September 23 by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied factions. Three days prior, the TPLF announced the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, a coalition of seven armed groups—including the Amhara Fano National Movement—aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. In their initial push, Tigrayan forces seized control of three regional airports in Mekelle, Axum, and Shire, forcing the suspension of all commercial flights to the region.[5]

The resumption of hostilities was preceded by a severe escalation in aerial bombardments. On September 22, the ENDF conducted between 15 and 17 drone strikes in and around Alamata, targeting locations that included schools and a hospital. Tigrayan authorities reported that the strikes killed at least 14 civilians and injured 22 others. Following the bombardments, the TPLF accused the federal government of an "open invasion" and declared the commencement of a "defensive war."[5]

The conflict has rapidly metastasized beyond Tigray, opening multiple fronts across the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. In Afar, Tigrayan forces and their local allies captured the towns of Abala and Erebti, advancing toward Afdera. This trajectory raises the prospect of an attempt to intercept the Djibouti-Semera line, a strategically vital trade and supply corridor for landlocked Ethiopia. Disrupting this route would give the rebel alliance significant leverage over the federal government but risks drawing neighboring Djibouti into the crisis.[1][5]

The renewed fighting threatens to destabilize the broader Horn of Africa, with regional powers trading accusations of proxy involvement. On September 27, Ethiopian army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula accused neighboring Sudan and Egypt of backing the rebel coalition, claiming the armed groups serve the "interests of external forces." Both Sudan and Egypt have denied providing material support to the alliance. The diplomatic fallout compounds an already volatile geopolitical landscape, shaped by Sudan's ongoing civil war and disputes over Red Sea access.[3][4]

Humanitarian monitors warn that the civilian population, which has yet to recover from a 2020-2022 war that killed an estimated 600,000 people, faces catastrophic consequences. Internet and telecommunications networks across Tigray have been shut down, severely limiting the flow of independent information and impeding aid delivery. With hundreds of thousands of Tigrayans still internally displaced and the region grappling with an El Niño-linked drought, the return to full-scale war threatens to push the population back into famine conditions.[1][5]

The international community has expressed alarm over the rapid deterioration of the security situation. United Nations officials have highlighted the particularly troubling reports of drone use in civilian areas, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities. However, with both the federal government and the rebel alliance entrenched in their respective military campaigns, diplomatic channels remain largely stalled.[3][4]

For the federal government, the recapture of Alamata represents a crucial tactical victory in its effort to contain the rebellion before it can threaten the capital. Yet, the emergence of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival indicates a broader structural challenge for Addis Ababa, as historically opposed groups—such as the TPLF and Amhara militias—have temporarily aligned against the central state. The durability of this tactical alliance will likely dictate the trajectory of the conflict in the coming weeks.[2][5]