Tigrayan forces have seized control of Mekelle airport as tensions with Ethiopia’s federal government intensify, raising fears of renewed conflict in the war-scarred Tigray region.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Somali Report) — Tigrayan forces have seized control of the airport in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, security and local sources told AFP on Wednesday, as tensions between the regional authorities and the federal government continue to rise.
The takeover of Alula Aba Nega International Airport came amid growing fears that renewed tensions could trigger a return to large-scale fighting in a region devastated by a two-year war. A foreign security source based in Ethiopia confirmed to AFP that Tigrayan forces had taken control of the airport.
An airport employee said staff were ordered to return home after being informed that Tigrayan forces had entered the facility and that there were no flights operating. A small number of federal police normally guard the airport, but their whereabouts and condition following the takeover were not immediately known.
Ethiopian Airlines announced that it had temporarily suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire, citing the “current situation” in Tigray. Flight-tracking data also showed that a scheduled Wednesday morning flight between Mekelle and the federal capital Addis Ababa had been cancelled.
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The latest development follows months of deteriorating relations between Addis Ababa and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which effectively controls the region. The TPLF fought the federal government in a devastating civil war from 2020 to 2022 that killed about 600,000 people, according to African Union estimates. A peace agreement signed in November 2022 ended the main fighting, but disputes over its implementation have persisted.
Tensions intensified further this week after the TPLF joined six other armed groups in announcing a new alliance aimed at challenging Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The coalition includes forces from several parts of Ethiopia, while the federal government has faced multiple insurgencies, including in the Oromia and Amhara regions.
The Tigray conflict remains one of the deadliest episodes in Ethiopia’s recent history, with large-scale displacement and severe humanitarian consequences. Recent clashes and reported drone strikes have raised concerns that the fragile post-war settlement could unravel.
Neither the Ethiopian federal government nor TPLF officials immediately responded to requests for comment on the airport takeover. The seizure of the key transport hub, however, marks a significant escalation in the latest standoff and comes as both sides face renewed pressure to prevent a return to the kind of conflict that devastated Tigray between 2020 and 2022.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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