Ethiopian government forces enter the strategic town of Adwa in the Tigray region

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Ethiopian federal forces and their allies entered a major town in the Tigray region in the north of the country, near the border with Eritrea, after the rebels withdrew from it without a fight, residents reported on Monday.

On September 23, battles renewed between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which advanced in the neighboring Afar region, before being forced to retreat towards the Eritrean border.

Addis Ababa accuses Eritrea of ​​supporting the forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, amid fears that the recent battles will cause the outbreak of a new war between the two neighboring countries.

Earlier this month, government forces took control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, after the withdrawal of the Front's forces from it.

Residents of the town of Adwa, located in the northwest of the region, about 40 kilometers from the Eritrean border, and one of its most populated towns, said that federal forces and an allied militia entered the town on Sunday.

“All the shops in the town are closed,” said Afrowerke, a resident. “Many government institutions, including Adua Hospital, were looted last night.”

He added that the Tigray People's Liberation Front forces left the town on Saturday.

Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed the withdrawal of the Front forces, noting that government forces had entered the town but had not yet reached the center. He said, "The streets are empty. People are very afraid of the looting."

The ACLED organization, which monitors conflicts, reported that drone strikes targeted a hotel in Adwa on October 4, wounding between “five and nine people, including security personnel,” who were taken to hospital.

The organization told AFP that some sources indicated that the head of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, Debretsion Gebremichael, and other senior officials were at the targeted hotel, noting that this information had not been verified.

The Front's deputy head, Amanuel Assefa, declined to comment.

On Sunday, flights to Mekele resumed and communication services were restored after being suspended for two weeks following the return of fighting in northern Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa and Asmara, which fought a border war between 1998 and 2000, exchanged accusations last week of causing the clashes.

Ethiopia accuses its neighbor of supporting militants, while a foreign security source reported last week that there were between five thousand and eight thousand Eritrean soldiers in Tigray.

On Saturday, Asmara called on the UN Security Council to condemn Ethiopia's "declaration of war" against it, warning that the conflict would lead to "destabilization of the entire region."