Forces in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region have reportedly taken control of the airport in its capital, Mekelle, prompting state-owned Ethiopian Airlines to suspend services to three local destinations. The takeover marks a sharp escalation nearly four years after a peace deal ended a brutal two-year civil war in the East African country.
The carrier announced in a social media post that services to Mekelle, Shire, and Axum have been halted "due to the current situation in Tigray region." The state-owned airline stated they will inform customers when flight operations resume. Two local sources confirmed that Tigrayan forces have taken control of Mekelle airport from federal police in an overnight operation.
In a statement, Tigray's regional government said its forces have entered a defensive war against federal troops. It accused the federal government of launching a ground offensive after air and artillery strikes across parts of Tigray. The federal government has yet to publicly comment on the alleged takeover and the airstrikes.
The development came days after seven armed groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front, announced an alliance seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and establish a transitional administration. The coalition accused the ruling Prosperity Party of imposing "dictatorial" rule and pushing the country toward disintegration.
On Monday, Abiy's spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, accused the alliance of collaborating with financial backing from neighboring Eritrea. The authorities in Eritrea have repeatedly denied backing the groups. Ethiopia has struggled to secure lasting stability in Tigray since a 2022 peace agreement ended the two-year war between federal forces and the TPLF.
The conflict killed hundreds of thousands of people, and recent clashes and reported drone strikes have threatened the fragile peace. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned last month that Ethiopia was on the brink of renewed war.
The latest disruption to Ethiopian Airlines schedule follows an earlier suspension of flights to Tigray in January amid reports of renewed military activity. At the time, passengers received cancellation messages citing unplanned circumstances, while a security official linked the interruption to fighting between federal and regional forces.
Key points
- Tigray's regional government has announced that its forces have entered a defensive war against federal troops.
- The Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, a coalition of seven armed groups, seeks to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.
- The conflict in Tigray has killed hundreds of thousands of people since a two-year war between federal forces and the TPLF ended in 2022.
