Regional forces in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, have seized control of the local airport, prompting state-owned Ethiopian Airlines to suspend all flights to the area.
Ethiopian Airlines announced the cancellation of flights to Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, as well as the cities of Axum and Shire, citing “the current situation,” without offering additional details.
A taxi driver who spoke to The Associated Press said the airport, typically under federal forces’ control, was occupied by fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) carrying light weapons.
The driver, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said a commander instructed him to leave the premises, noting that no flights would be landing.
The takeover appeared to unfold peacefully, with no gunfire reported in or around the airport.
No commercial airlines besides Ethiopian Airlines operate routes to the region, though it remains accessible via chartered flights.
The development came just days after seven opposition groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, formed an alliance aimed at removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his government from power.
Abiy’s Prosperity Party maintained its hold on power following a June general election that was boycotted by major opposition parties.
The TPLF engaged federal forces in a devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia that concluded with a peace agreement in November 2022. However, since July, there have been reports of drone strikes in Tigray, with the regional government blaming federal forces for the attacks.
In a statement, the regional government said it had ordered its fighters to enter a “defensive war” after federal forces launched attacks on Tigray using drones and heavy artillery on Tuesday.
Getachew Reda, a former lead peace negotiator for Tigray who now serves as an adviser to the prime minister, accused the TPLF of attacking government positions in the Afar and Amhara regions, despite efforts to prevent another full-scale war.
“It has taken over federal controlled airports in Tigray leading to the suspension of flights to and from Tigray. The TPLF politico-military leadership has obviously taken irresponsibility to new heights,” he wrote on X.
The opposition groups formally announced the formation of a coalition they dubbed the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival on Sunday.
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