ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- As the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) accelerates its advance across the country's conflict-hit Tigray region, concerns are mounting over the conflict's potential regional spillover amid heightened diplomatic tensions.

As military confrontations continue pitting the ENDF and its allied forces against troops loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the East African country's northernmost region, the federal government announced ongoing efforts to establish a new administrative structure in Tigray, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported on Sunday.

These efforts will enable the people of Tigray to govern themselves, restore peace and stability to the region, while paving the way for regional elections "within a few months," ENA quoted Abraham Belay, former head of the federally appointed interim administration in Tigray, as saying.

Belay said that following these operations, new administrative structures will be established from the lower locality levels upward with direct community participation. He called on all Ethiopians to support the ongoing efforts to conclude the transitional phase and allow the people of Tigray to fully participate in national development.

FEDERAL FORCES' CONTINUED ADVANCE

Local residents who spoke to Xinhua on Sunday confirmed that the Ethiopian army and its allied forces, mainly the Tigray Peace Force, took control of Mekelle, the Tigray regional state capital, late Saturday afternoon.

Amid the continued military operations, reports and video clips posted on social media on Sunday also indicated that federal troops have continued pushing further into northern Tigray.

Experts and political analysts said the ENDF's control of Mekelle marks a new phase in the continued military escalation in northern Ethiopia, following the Sept. 20 announcement of a new alliance formed by seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups.

Despite large-scale military confrontations during the earlier days of this latest round of conflict, mainly in parts of southern Tigray, reports indicated that federal forces took control of the regional capital with limited fighting in or around the city.

In a video message released Thursday, TPLF Chairperson Debretsion Gebremichael indicated that his forces were in a defensive mode and would engage in guerrilla-style attacks as the conflict progresses.

Recent developments have raised concerns about a possible relapse into full-blown war, set against the backdrop of the devastating two-year conflict between federal forces and TPLF-loyal troops from November 2020 to November 2022. That previous conflict left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance before the two parties signed the landmark Pretoria peace accord in South Africa to end hostilities.

REGIONAL SPILLOVER CONCERNS

As military tensions continue in northern Ethiopia, the situation has raised growing concerns over the conflict's potential regional spillover. Recent developments have also ignited heightened diplomatic tensions, primarily among Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt.

In an interview with the state news agency, Belay noted that both internal and external actors are "attempting to destabilize Ethiopia." He specifically accused Ethiopia's northern neighbor, Eritrea, claiming that its forces "had participated in the conflict alongside the TPLF and other groups," which he characterized as "anti-peace forces."

Amid escalating diplomatic rifts, Ethiopia announced Thursday the closure of its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, in response to what it calls "Eritrea's direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia."

In a direct response, Eritrea announced the complete severance of ties with Ethiopia, marking a total breakdown in relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbors. Rejecting Addis Ababa's allegations, the Eritrean government accused Ethiopia of "pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility."

Also on Thursday, the Ethiopian government declared a diplomatic staff member at the Egyptian Embassy in Addis Ababa persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours. In a reciprocal move, Cairo declared a counselor at the Ethiopian Embassy in Egypt persona non grata, also ordering him to leave within 48 hours.

Ethiopian analysts attribute the latest diplomatic tensions among the three African nations to the ongoing military escalation in northern Ethiopia.

In light of the deteriorating diplomatic relations among the three countries, the African Union has called on the three member states to exercise "maximum restraint and refrain from actions or statements that could further escalate tensions and undermine regional peace and stability." ■

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