Ethiopia restores electricity in Tigray capital

Ethiopia has restored power supply to Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray state where federal troops fought rebels in a two-year civil war that ended last month.

Residents in the city are now enjoying full resumption of electricity after supply was disconnected for more than a year, sources in the city told the BBC.

“Electricity has been everywhere in the city since yesterday (Tuesday),” said a resident.

The state-affiliated Fana broadcast quoted a spokesman of the state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) as saying that power had been restored after repair on a high-voltage line.

State-run telecommunications firm Ethio Telecom has also restored services in Shire town and surrounding areas.

Families living abroad have told the BBC how they finally managed to call their loved ones after two years.

Power and telecommunication services were disrupted after war broke out in the Tigray region in November 2020.