Ethiopian Gov’t Allies Claim Capture of Alamata as Fighting Presses Toward Mekelle
Pro-government forces claim they have captured Alamata, a strategic town south of Mekelle in Tigray, the Ethiopian military and allied militiamen said through the pro-government Tigrai Peace Force on Monday, September 28, 2026, according to Reuters reporting carried by ThePrint. The claim comes as Abiy Ahmed’s Regime and the Ethiopian Gov’t press a wider northern campaign after a week of fighting that has already spilled toward Amhara and Afar.
Video posted by the Tigrai Peace Force on Facebook showed soldiers marching through streets and waving Ethiopian flags, though Reuters said it could not immediately verify the footage. Two diplomatic sources told Reuters the town had fallen, while a third said pro-government forces had entered but it was not yet clear whether they held full control. Spokespeople for the Ethiopian military and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Alamata sits near Tigray’s southern border with the Amhara region and has long served as a supply hub for troops, food, and fuel. Its capture, if confirmed, would help federal forces as they press toward Mekelle, about 120 kilometers to the north. Kulu Media had earlier reported, citing Al Jazeera on September 27, that Ethiopian government forces were closing in on Alamata around Sama, Soqota, and Raya Alamata, without a confirmed entry or capture at that time.
In comments broadcast on state media on Sunday, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula again accused Eritrea, Sudan’s armed forces, and Egypt of backing opposition forces. Eritrea and Sudan’s army have denied the allegations, and Egypt did not immediately respond. In Tigray, internet and phone networks remained disrupted for a fourth day. Four sources told Reuters on Friday that the TPLF had ordered the networks shut down. The TPLF has not responded to requests for comment about that claim.