Ethiopian Forces Capture Aksum as Eritrea Denies Retreat Amid Tigray Conflict
Ethiopian government forces and the pro-government Tigray Peace Force (TPF) have expanded their control in northern Ethiopia, capturing the historic city of Aksum and advancing toward the Eritrean border. While the TPF claims Eritrean troops are retreating and suffering heavy casualties, Asmara denies these reports and rejects accusations of cross-border intervention. The conflict, which began in September after the collapse of the 2022 Pretoria peace deal, has displaced over a million people and triggered a diplomatic crisis involving Sudan, Egypt, and Somalia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for de-escalation, warning that the region cannot tolerate further conflict. Independent monitors confirm Ethiopian advances but note that Tigrayan rebels remain active in mountainous areas, while humanitarian conditions in towns like Zalambesa have deteriorated significantly.
