FLIGHTS TO MEKELLE, SHIRE AND AXUM HALTED AS TENSIONS RISE BETWEEN TIGRAYAN FORCES AND ETHIOPIA’S FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region after Tigrayan forces reportedly seized control of Mekelle airport from federal police, adding to growing concerns over a renewed conflict in the region.
The state owned airline said flights to Mekelle, Shire and Axum had been halted because of the “current situation in Tigray region,” without providing further details. Two local sources told Reuters that Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport overnight.
TENSIONS RISE IN TIGRAY
The latest development comes amid deteriorating relations between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which controlled the regional government during the 2020–2022 civil war.
The two sides signed a peace agreement in November 2022, bringing the two-year conflict to an end. The war resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, according to researchers, including deaths linked to violence, famine and the collapse of healthcare services.
Despite the peace agreement, disputes have continued over territory, the disarmament of Tigrayan forces and the implementation of the accord.
TPLF JOINS WIDER ARMED ALLIANCE
The airport takeover follows a significant political and military development earlier this month.
The TPLF announced that it had joined six other armed groups in an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The federal government has accused the alliance of receiving support from Eritrea, a claim Eritrea has denied.
The announcement has added another dimension to Ethiopia’s already complex security environment, with the groups involved operating in different parts of the country.
FLIGHTS AFFECTED
Ethiopian Airlines has not announced how long the suspension will remain in place.
The airline’s decision affects three important destinations in Tigray and could disrupt travel, trade and humanitarian movement into and out of the region.
The suspension also highlights the wider economic consequences of the renewed instability. Earlier in 2026, Ethiopian Airlines temporarily suspended services to Tigray following clashes between regional and national forces before resuming flights several days later.
FEARS OF RENEWED CONFLICT
The latest developments are raising concerns over whether the 2022 peace agreement can continue to contain tensions between the federal government and Tigrayan authorities.
Reuters reports that the Ethiopian military has carried out several drone strikes against Tigrayan forces in recent months, while the military said last week that nearly 300 Tigrayan fighters had surrendered. The federal government has not publicly commented on the reported airport takeover.
With Mekelle airport now reportedly under Tigrayan control and commercial flights suspended, attention is turning to whether the confrontation will remain localized or develop into a broader security crisis.
For communities in Tigray, memories of the previous war remain fresh, making renewed fighting a major concern for civilians and humanitarian organizations operating in the region.
