Tigrayan rebel forces have seized control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region. This is the second major airport to fall into the hands of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) as fresh fighting pushes Ethiopia toward another devastating civil war. Security and local sources confirmed the takeover occurred on Wednesday. The development has raised concerns about the escalating conflict in the region.
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended all flights to Mekelle, Aksum, and Shire, citing "the current situation in the Tigray region". The airline's decision comes after the TPLF seized control of the airport, which is a major transportation hub in the region. The US Embassy in Addis Ababa has issued a security alert, cautioning that internet and phone connectivity could be disrupted without warning. The alert advises travelers to exercise caution when traveling to the region.
The TPLF's seizure of the airport is part of a larger conflict in the region. Seven armed groups, including the TPLF and the Oromo Liberation Army, have formed a coalition aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from power. The coalition, known as the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, accuses the Prime Minister's Prosperity Party of steering the country toward "widespread conflict, humanitarian distress and political instability".
The conflict in Ethiopia has been ongoing for months, with both parties accusing each other of breaching the ceasefire terms of the Pretoria peace agreement signed in November 2022. The agreement ended a two-year conflict that killed an estimated 600,000 people and displaced approximately one million others. The current escalation has raised concerns about the potential for another full-scale civil war in Africa's second-most populous nation.
The situation on the ground is dire, with residents in Mekelle describing widespread panic buying and rapidly rising prices. The cost of fuel has climbed from 400 birr to 650 birr per litre since hostilities resumed. Internet connectivity has also collapsed across northern Ethiopia, with online monitor NetBlocks documenting a regional telecommunications blackout.
The Ethiopian National Defence Force has claimed it had killed 272 TPLF fighters and wounded 260 others during a failed rebel offensive in the Amhara region. However, the figures have not been independently verified. The army's statement posted in Amharic on Facebook said that government forces had launched a counter-offensive that inflicted heavy personnel and equipment losses on the TPLF.
The international community is watching the situation closely, with concerns about the potential for another devastating civil war in Ethiopia. The conflict has already had a significant impact on the region, with thousands of people displaced and many more affected by the violence. Key efforts are underway to broker a peace agreement and prevent further escalation.
Key points
- Tigrayan rebel forces seize control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle.
- Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights to Mekelle, Aksum, and Shire.
- Seven armed groups form a coalition to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from power.
