The war in Tigray
Updated 10 Oct 2026
Tigray is the main front of the renewed war. Frontline tracks every reported battle, strike and change of control in the region, grades each report by its sources, and shows who holds each town on the map.
Deaths are the sum of figures given in individual reports; reports can overlap and are not a Frontline count.
Key towns
Events per day since 20 Sep 2026
Latest events
Control change · Hawzen town, Eastern, Tigray
Footage shows ENDF convoys moving through the centre of Hawzen in Tigray's Eastern Zone (13.98021, 39.43101), which the monitor said confirms the ENDF took control of the town, apparently approaching from the east.
Control change · Shire Endaslasie town, North Western, Tigray
Footage shows ENDF and Tigray Peace Force convoys at Hayelom Square in Shire, the administrative centre of Tigray's Northwestern Zone, after they entered the town on 9 October.
Statement · Unknown place
Video shows a YIHA-III loitering munition that the monitor identified as captured by ENDF troops from TDF/TPLF forces at an unstated location in Ethiopia.
Shelling · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
An Adigrat resident reported repeated explosions of unclear origin several kilometres outside the town overnight and into Friday morning.
Statement · Unknown place
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said his forces would choose when and where to confront the government.
Statement · Hawelti Sub City, Mekelle, Tigray
The monitor geolocated the warehouse where the ENDF displayed seized munitions and drones to a former ENDF bunker at 13.482214, 39.518136 adjoining Mekelle Airport, captured by the TDF in 2021, and assessed the haul as a mix of captured ENDF stocks and more recent TDF acquisitions.
Statement · Hawelti Sub City, Mekelle, Tigray
Footage published on 7 October shows munitions presented as seized by the ENDF from a TDF/TPLF warehouse in Mekelle, which the monitor identified as dozens of Chinese GB-25 laser-guided drone munitions, US Mk 82 and Russian FAB general-purpose bombs, R-60M and R-73 air-to-air missiles, and dismantled drones resembling Iranian Mohajer-6s.
Statement · Unknown place
The US Embassy in Addis Ababa warned of possible long-range attacks in Ethiopia, citing reports of recent strikes on military installations, and advised against travel to Amhara, Tigray and Afar.
Control change · Shire Endaslasie town, North Western, Tigray
An aid worker said TPLF fighters and the local administration abandoned Shire on Wednesday, with four people killed in exchanges of fire linked to looting, before pro-government forces entered on Friday.
Control change · Edaga Hamus town, Eastern, Tigray
A Tigray Peace Force commander said Eritrean personnel entered Idaga Hamus on Wednesday and officers were conducting surveillance there; AP could not verify.
Drone strike · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
ACLED and witnesses said multiple Ethiopian drone strikes overnight hit Eritrean troops, vehicles and ammunition around Adigrat, after which Eritrean troops appeared to retreat north.
Statement · Hawelti Sub City, Mekelle, Tigray
Ethiopia's National Rehabilitation Commission called on fighters in Tigray to report to a demobilization centre in Mekelle and said many were surrendering to ENDF units.
Statement · Unknown place
Gebregziabher Beyene, commander of the Tigray Peace Forces allied with Ethiopia's federal army, told AFP that incoming Eritrean troops were being struck by drones and accused Eritrea of deliberately keeping the fighting confined to Tigrayan territory.
Control change · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
Residents of Adigrat told the BBC and AFP that large numbers of Eritrean soldiers, travelling by truck and on foot with heavy weapons, crossed the border and moved south through the town toward central Tigray overnight into the morning of 7 October 2026, finding no Ethiopian federal or Tigrayan forces present to oppose them.
Control change · Wukro town, Eastern, Tigray
Government and allied Tigray Peace Force units took control of Wukro, near Adigrat, after several days of fighting, with Tigrayan and Eritrean forces withdrawing following repeated government drone strikes.
Statement · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
Residents and international media, including BBC, reported seeing large numbers of Eritrean soldiers moving through Adigrat by truck and on foot toward other parts of Tigray, while a Tigray Peace Force commander said the Eritrean force was being hit by drones and accused Eritrea of deliberately keeping the fighting confined to Tigray.
Drone strike · Zala Anbesa town, Eastern, Tigray
A conflict-monitoring group reported that Ethiopian military drones struck Eritrean troops near Zelambesa and Guada as they advanced toward Idaga Hamus after crossing the border.
Statement · Edaga Hamus town, Eastern, Tigray
The same commander said Eritrean military officers entered the town of Idaga Hamus and were observed carrying out reconnaissance there on Wednesday.
Control change · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
A Tigray Peace Force commander said Eritrean personnel entered Adigrat, citing his personnel in the area; AP could not verify.
Statement · Unknown place
A Tigray Peace Force commander alleged that Eritrean troops were present in northern Tigray, which AP could not verify.
Drone strike · Unknown place
A Tigray Peace Force commander said his group and federal forces were fighting to expand control in Tigray, supported by drone strikes, which AP could not verify.
Statement · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
A Tigray Peace Force commander said Eritrean soldiers crossed into the Tigray town of Adigrat on Tuesday.
Statement · Hawelti Sub City, Mekelle, Tigray
Footage shows the ENDF deploying Chinese-made SH15 155mm self-propelled howitzers in Mekelle on 5 October, while ENDF and TPF forces continued to advance north of the city.
Shelling · May Tsebri town, Area 2, Contested
A humanitarian bulletin said the Ethiopian military and Tigrayan forces exchanged heavy artillery fire near the Tekeze River close to Mai Tsebri.
Airstrike · Sheraro town, North Western, Tigray
A humanitarian bulletin said overnight airstrikes killed at least eight people in Sheraro, without saying who carried them out.
Questions and answers
Who controls Mekelle?
As of 10 Oct 2026, Frontline's map shows Mekelle as held by Ethiopian National Defense Force since 3 Oct 2026, based on grade A sources.
Who controls Adigrat?
As of 10 Oct 2026, Frontline's map shows Adigrat as held by Tigray Defence Forces since 5 May 2026, based on grade A sources.
Who controls Shire?
As of 10 Oct 2026, Frontline's map shows Shire as held by Ethiopian National Defense Force since 9 Oct 2026, based on grade B sources.
How many drone and air strikes have been reported?
Since 20 Sep 2026, 20 drone and air strikes have been reported here; 17 of them rest on at least one independent source.
What is the latest?
The most recent report Frontline has recorded, from 9 Oct 2026: Footage shows ENDF convoys moving through the centre of Hawzen in Tigray's Eastern Zone (13.98021, 39.43101), which the monitor said confirms the ENDF took control of the town, apparently approaching from the east.
How is this information checked?
Every event links to its sources and carries a grade. Only reports confirmed by an independent source (grades A and B) move the map; a party's own claim is shown as a claim and never changes it.