Fighting breaks out in Afar and TPLF seizes Mekelle airport

Fighting has broken out between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan rebels in the Afar region, with clashes reported in Abala and Erebti, according to AFP. Aid groups have warned the fighting could expand.

Separately, TPLF forces have seized control of an airport in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The takeover follows the formation of an alliance of seven Ethiopian militias, including the TPLF, aimed at overthrowing the current government.