Mekelle Residents Report Widespread Looting of Government Offices Amid Telecom Outages

Residents of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, reported widespread looting and destruction targeting government institutions, police stations, and the regional president's office. The situation worsened following military clashes between Tigrayan forces and federal troops, which led to a complete blackout of banking, telephone, and internet services. Residents described severe security anxieties, cash shortages, and panic over the past ten days, comparing the atmosphere to the height of the previous conflict. While internet access has recently begun to return in some areas and local peace forces have entered the city to restore relative order, distant gunfire continues to be heard. Federal troops remain positioned on the outskirts of the city rather than in the center, and local residents organized themselves in certain neighborhoods to protect critical facilities like the referral hospital and telecom infrastructure. Meanwhile, the TPLF-led regional administration reportedly relocated outside the capital to continue its armed stance.