Mekelle offensive (2020)

Mekelle was hit by an airstrike, killing two civilians and injuring several others. The strike also caused damage to roads, bridges and houses. It is unknown who carried out the airstrike as the Ethiopian government has denied targeting civilians.[6][7][8] The Ethiopian government accused the TPLF of blowing up four main bridges leading to Mekelle, while the TPLF denied the accusations.[9]

Ethiopian forces captured Shire and Axum without any fighting in the morning. Around 9 AM, Ethiopian forces were advancing towards Mekelle by three roads from South, East and Northwest around 200 kilometers away from the city. The Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian Defense Force, Berhanu Jula, announced an intention to encircle Mekelle in order to capture TPLF forces.[6][10][11]

Leader of TPLF said that Mekelle was bombed but gave no details of casualties or injuries.[12] Redwan Hussein, a government spokesperson, said that government troops are closing in on Mekelle and have won multiple victories and captured a number of towns on their campaign towards the Tigray capital.[13]

Mekelle was hit by an airstrike which inflicted significant damage on Mekelle University, injuring several civilians.[14][15]

Military spokesperson of Ethiopia, Col Dejene Tsegaye, announced that Mekelle will be encircled and shelled, telling Tigray civilians to flee the city because Ethiopian forces would show no mercy. TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said that his troops have stalled the Ethiopian forces on southern front.[16]

Ethiopian forces begun their direct assault on Mekelle on 28 November. Debretsion claimed that they were bombarding the city with artillery, an accusation rejected by Ethiopian government.[17] Ambulances rushed through the streets picking up dead and wounded after Ethiopian government artillery strikes.[5] Doctors in Mekelle sent text messages on the condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals from the government by using a rare Internet connection in the city. They stated that indiscriminate artillery shelling targeted not only TPLF areas, but also civilian neighborhoods, ended up killing 27 civilians (including a 4 year old child) and wounded around 100. The hospital staff showed documents to prove their employment and denied any ties to the TPLF, while providing certain pictures of their patients (including infants) having many shrapnel wounds.[5]

The Ethiopian government later that day announced it had taken Mekelle and that it was the end of the Tigray offensive.[18] Debretsion confirmed the TPLF were withdrawing from around Mekelle.[3] Tigrayan forces said they had withdrawn from Mekelle to avoid having the federal forces from further destroying the city and that the TPLF will be fighting in surrounding rural areas, beginning a new guerrilla campaign.[5]