Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire airports in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region due to the current situation. This decision follows reports that Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle's Alula Aba Nega Airport from federal police overnight on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
The suspension of flights by the state-owned carrier underscores an escalation in tensions between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). An employee at Mekelle airport confirmed to AFP that they were told to return home as the airport had been taken over by Tigray forces, a detail corroborated by a foreign security source.
The TPLF announced on Sunday, September 20, 2026, that it had formed an alliance with six other armed groups across Ethiopia, aiming to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. This development marks a potential collapse of the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement, which ended a devastating 2020-2022 civil war that resulted in an estimated 600,000 deaths. Both sides have accused each other of violating the peace deal, and the region has yet to recover, with approximately 1 million people still displaced.
While the federal government reportedly possesses a significant military advantage, including increased drone production, the TPLF's Tigray Defence Forces retain a substantial arsenal from their prior dominance in Ethiopia's military. An ACLED conflict monitoring group assessment earlier in 2026 indicated that Eritrean forces moved towards western Tigray, potentially providing weapons and hosting Tigrayan fighters.
