Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to Tigray, including the regional capital Mekelle, after Tigrayan forces took control of the city’s airport amid renewed tensions between regional and federal forces.
The state-owned airline announced that flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire were temporarily suspended on Wednesday because of the “current situation” in Tigray. The airline did not provide a specific date for when services would resume.
Local and security sources said fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle. An airport employee told AFP that staff were instructed to return home after being informed that Tigrayan forces had taken over the facility and that no flights would operate.
The takeover comes amid a sharp escalation in tensions in northern Ethiopia. Tigray’s regional government said its forces had entered a “defensive war” after federal forces reportedly attacked the region with drones and heavy artillery on Tuesday. The TPLF, meanwhile, has been accused by a government adviser of attacking federal positions in neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.
The African Union Commission has called for restraint and immediate de-escalation, warning that the renewed confrontation and occupation of the airport could undermine the progress made under the 2022 peace agreement that ended the previous Tigray war.
The latest developments follow the formation of a new alliance by seven opposition groups, including the TPLF, which says it aims to challenge Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The alliance was announced on Sunday, adding to concerns about a wider escalation in Ethiopia.
The TPLF previously fought federal forces in a devastating conflict that began in 2020 and ended with the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement in November 2022. The conflict caused a major humanitarian crisis and left large numbers of people displaced.
Although the airport takeover was initially reported to have occurred without gunfire at the facility, the wider region remains tense, with reports of fighting in parts of neighboring Afar. The renewed clashes have raised concerns that the fragile peace in Tigray could deteriorate further.
For travelers, the suspension of Ethiopian Airlines flights has effectively disrupted the main commercial air links to Tigray’s major cities. No other airlines currently operate regular services to the region, although charter flights remain an option.
The developments are being closely watched as Ethiopia faces pressure to prevent renewed large-scale conflict and preserve the gains made since the 2022 peace agreement.
Swifteradio.com
