Ethiopian federal forces were in full control of the Tigray rebels' regional capital, a local journalist said on Sunday.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks against federal forces on September 23, sparking fears of a return to the civil war of 2020-2022.

The presidents of Egypt, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea were set to meet in the Egyptian city of Alamein on Sunday to discuss the conflict.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of directly backing the Tigray rebels, a claim that Asmara denies.

'Taken control of Mekelle'

A counter-offensive has seen the Ethiopian forces push deep into rebel-held territory, entering the regional capital, Mekelle, on Saturday without a fight, as TPLF leaders and troops abandoned the city.

Federal troops were patrolling Mekelle and manning key institutions on Sunday, a local journalist told AFP, as communications were restored for the first time in more than a week.

"We have taken control of Mekelle and we are marching forward," a commander with a pro-government militia told AFP.

Businesses and shops remained closed, with owners moving stock to safer locations ahead of time, fearing looting and vandalism.

Tigray tensions

The mini-summit in Alamein was set to bring together Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, as well as the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah AlBurhan, on the sidelines of an African Business Forum.

The TPLF ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018. The rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who hails from the Oromia region, brought its rule to an end.

The tensions led to a civil war from 2020 to 2022 that left more than 600,000 people dead, according to the African Union.

The Pretoria peace agreement of 2022, brokered by African institutions and Washington, helped keep peace until last year.