Tigrayan forces have taken control of the main airport in the regional capital Mekelle, in a major escalation of tensions between the Tigray region and Ethiopia’s federal government.
Security and local sources told AFP that forces aligned with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) seized the Alula Aba Nega International Airport on Wednesday, September 23, after fighting involving federal forces.
The development comes just days after seven Ethiopian armed groups, including the TPLF, announced an alliance aimed at challenging Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.
The coalition, known as the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, brings together groups that have previously been on opposing sides of Ethiopia’s conflicts, including the TPLF and the Amhara Fano National Movement.
The groups accuse the federal government of centralising power and failing to address political and security grievances across the country. The government has rejected such accusations and alleged that Eritrea is supporting armed groups, a claim Eritrea denies.
Ethiopian Airlines suspends Tigray flights
The seizure of the airport has already disrupted air travel in northern Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire on Wednesday, citing the security situation and what it described as unplanned circumstances.
The cancellations are significant because air transport remains an important connection between Tigray and the rest of Ethiopia, particularly following years of conflict and disruption.
The airport in Mekelle serves the Tigray regional capital and is one of the main gateways into the region.
Fears of renewed war
The latest fighting has raised concerns that Ethiopia could slide back into a wider conflict in Tigray, less than four years after the signing of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which brought the devastating 2020–2022 Tigray war to an end.
That conflict resulted in massive civilian suffering, displacement and destruction across northern Ethiopia.
The peace agreement was intended to end hostilities between the federal government and Tigrayan forces and establish a framework for political and security issues to be addressed through negotiations.
However, tensions over territory, political control and the future of Tigray have continued.
Recent developments have further strained the agreement, with renewed clashes and reports of military mobilisation in northern Ethiopia. The New Humanitarian warned earlier this year that renewed fighting involving Tigray factions, Ethiopian government forces and Eritrea could have consequences beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
A broader opposition front emerges
The airport seizure comes as Ethiopia’s political and security landscape becomes increasingly fragmented.
The seven-group alliance announced this week includes armed organisations from several regions and ethnic constituencies, including Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, Afar and Benishangul-Gumuz.
The groups say they are united by opposition to Prime Minister Abiy’s government, although they have significant differences over territory, political representation and their long-term objectives.
Analysts cited by Reuters have cautioned that the alliance faces challenges because its members are geographically dispersed and have competing political interests.
TPLF spokesman Michael Asgedom has said the 2022 peace agreement can no longer be considered valid, according to AP, signalling a potentially significant shift in the political position of one of the principal parties to the earlier conflict.
Regional implications
Renewed fighting in Tigray could have consequences beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
The region borders Eritrea and Sudan, two countries already affected by serious political and security crises. Any prolonged conflict could increase population displacement and put additional pressure on humanitarian operations and neighbouring states.
The Ethiopian government has previously accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups opposed to Addis Ababa. Eritrea has denied the allegations.
For now, the immediate concern is the situation around Mekelle and whether the seizure of the airport will trigger further military confrontation between Tigrayan forces and the federal government.
With flights suspended and reports of fighting emerging from northern Ethiopia, the latest developments represent one of the most serious escalations in Tigray since the 2022 peace agreement.
The situation remains fluid, and the extent of territorial control by the competing forces could change as fighting and political negotiations continue.
