{
  "id": 11836816,
  "title": "In Tigray, Ethiopian government forces have advanced against a northern rebel group, reports indicate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/in-tigray-ethiopian-government-forces-have-advanced-against-a-11836816",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T03:48:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW English (Top Stories)",
    "slug": "dw-english-top-stories",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/in-tigray-ethiopian-government-forces-have-advanced-against-a-northern-rebel-group-reports-indicate/a-79534372?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-xml-mrss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ethiopian government forces have retaken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, after rebel groups seized it last week. This marks the worst violence in the northern region since the civil war ended in 2022. The Ethiopian military has fully secured the airport, according to a general who spoke to the Associated Press under anonymity. The AFP news agency, citing a humanitarian source, reported that rebel groups were evacuating the city as government forces advanced. However, neither side has officially confirmed who now controls the city, and reporting is hampered by communication outages and limited media access. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been the dominant power in Tigray since ousting a government-appointed administration earlier this year and appointing Debretsion Gebremichael as regional president, is reportedly leaving the city. The Ethiopian National Defense Force has been battling a rebel offensive since late September. The TPLF, which ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, aims to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. Over 600,000 people were killed during the civil war from 2020 to 2022. The renewed unrest has raised concerns of a wider regional conflict in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the Tigray rebels, but all three countries deny this. Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties last week, expelling diplomats and closing embassies. The African Union expressed concern over the escalating tensions and called for maximum restraint from all parties. Debretsion Gebremichael, the TPLF's spokesperson, stated in a video message that the conflict is regional and aims to control the Red Sea.",
  "summary": "Reports indicate Ethiopian government forces have made advances against a northern rebel group. Renewed fighting has raised fears the conflict could spill over into the wider region.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "In Tigray, Ethiopian government forces have advanced against a northern rebel group, reports indicate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/in-tigray-ethiopian-government-forces-have-advanced-against-a",
        "published": "2026-10-04T03:48:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}