Forces in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region have seized control of the airport in the regional capital Mekelle, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to three airports in the region.
Local sources told Reuters and AFP that Tigrayan forces took control of Alula Aba Nega Airport from federal police overnight. An airport employee also confirmed that staff were told to return home because flights had been suspended.
Ethiopian Airlines subsequently suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire from Wednesday, September 23, citing the security situation in Tigray.
The airline said it would notify passengers when operations resume, while flight-tracking data showed a scheduled service between Mekelle and Addis Ababa had been cancelled.
The latest development comes amid growing tensions in Tigray, where the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) recently announced an alliance with six other armed groups.
The region remains fragile after the 2020-2022 war between federal forces and Tigrayan forces. A peace agreement signed in Pretoria in 2022 ended the major fighting, but significant issues from the agreement remain unresolved.
The renewed tensions have raised concerns about a possible return to wider conflict, with the region still hosting large numbers of people displaced by the previous war.
For now, Ethiopian Airlines’ suspension has cut air links to three major destinations in Tigray as the security situation develops.