• Fighting continues in Afar as regional government confirms Eritrean troop presence

Ethiopian federal troops and allied militias have captured the town of Alamata, which is located in Tigray region, in the latest victory claimed by pro-government forces following an opposition offensive launched from the region last week. Images and videos posted on pro-government websites showed soldiers marching through the streets and waving Ethiopian flags.

Meanwhile, fighting is continuing in the Afar region. Al Jazeera reporter Mohammed Taha Tawakul, who is in the region, reported that more than two-thirds of the area has been taken by Eritrean forces, citing a statement from the regional government. The statement marks the first official confirmation of Eritrean troops participating on the ground, with forces reportedly moving to cut off Ethiopia’s access to Djibouti.

AFP, citing a humanitarian source, reported that the Afar town of Erebti, near the border with Tigray, fell to the rebels on Sunday after coming under heavy artillery fire. The source estimated that at least 150,000 people have been displaced in Afar.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it evacuated 161 people from Tigray, transporting them from Mekelle to Semera in the Afar region with the approval of all relevant authorities.

Those evacuated on Monday included Ethiopian Federal Police personnel and their families, Ethiopian Airlines staff and their families, Civil Aviation Security personnel, African Union monitors, and members of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.