Ethiopian Airlines has suspended all scheduled flights to Mekelle, Aksum, and Shire airports in the Tigray Region after forces loyal to the TIgray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) had taken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in the regional capital.
According to the airlines, The airlines on Wednesday announced the formal suspension of operations to the region due to current security conditions in the region. The airlines apologized for the inconvenience and announced plans to reactivate the routes shortly.
The Airlines did not specify how long the suspension would remain in effect. Residents of the Mekelle city told APA that the local forces also removed members of the federal police from their facility.
The development comes amid renewed tensions in Tigray, which was the scene of a major conflict between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan forces from 2020 to 2022. The fighting ended with the Pretoria Agreement, which established a framework for ending hostilities.
The latest escalation follows the announcement on Sunday by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of an alliance with six other armed groups from across Ethiopia. The groups said they sought to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.
Residents in Mekelle reported that no aircraft arrived in the city. Visitors to the Ethiopian Airlines branch near Abreha Castle in Mekelle were informed by staff that flights had been temporarily suspended. The Ethiopian Airlines reservation platform listed flights between Addis Ababa and Mekelle as having “no program scheduled”.
However, ticket bookings remain open for travel from Addis Ababa to Mekelle over subsequent days, while outgoing flights from Mekelle show full capacity. All flights to Aksum and Shire similarly reflect a “no program scheduled” status.
MG/abj/APA