In brief
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to the northern Tigray region due to concerns over increasing clashes, highlighting the growing instability in the area following a fragile peace deal. Passengers received text notifications about the cancellations, but official statements from the airline or government were not provided. Reports confirm skirmishes between federal forces and Tigray fighters, contributing to fears of escalating violence as the region heads towards national elections.
Passenger flights between Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, and cities in the northern Tigray region have been canceled amid fears of a return to conflict, with reports of clashes in one area.
Ethiopian Airlines, which operates all routes in the country, sent passengers a text message about the cancellations citing unplanned circumstances. Neither the airline nor the government has commented further.
A BBC reporter in Tigray's main city of Mekelle confirmed the news from airport staff who had been told not to go to work.
A 2022 peace deal to end a brutal civil war in Tigray has been unravelling as tensions grow over disputed territory and ahead of June's elections. There are reports of clashes between the federal army and Tigray fighters in Mai Degusha, a contested area of Tselemti district in western Tigray.
During the conflict, forces from the neighbouring Amhara region occupied the fertile area of western Tigray, which remains a source of dispute. Sources also report new military movements in southern Tigray, raising concerns of renewed conflict.
The African Union (AU) brokered the truce between the government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) - known as the Pretoria Agreement. However, tensions have resurfaced due to disagreements, complicating the already fragile situation in the region.
Buses are still operating between Addis Ababa and Tigray, though they may be subject to disruptions following the suspension of flights.
Relations between the TPLF and the government have been deteriorating for a while. The TPLF, which was designated a terrorist group during the war, wanted its legal status as a political party to be reinstated, but the process has been hindered by disputes and the electoral board recently revoked the TPLF's licence for the upcoming national elections.
With fears of renewed conflict on the rise, the situation in northern Ethiopia remains tense, leaving many wondering what the future holds for the region.
