On 2026-09-23, forces affiliated with the Tigray People's Liberation Front took control of Mekelle airport in northern Ethiopia, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to three Tigray destinations. The seizure followed an uptick in clashes between Tigrayan fighters and federal troops in the Afar region.
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Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to three destinations in Tigray, after reports that forces affiliated to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front had taken control of the airport in the regional capital.
Regional forces in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, have taken control of the local airport, causing Ethiopian Airlines to cancel flights to the region.
Ethiopian Airlines confirms it has suspended flights to Tigray's Mekelle amid reports regional forces have captured airport, uptick in fighting over past week https:// addisstandard.com/ethiopian-ai rlines-suspends-flights-to-mekelle-axum-and-shire-as-regional-forces-reportedly-take-control-of-mekelle-airport/
The suspension comes after Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport.
Tigrayan forces seize airport, Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights Reuters
Ethiopian Airlines cancels flights to Tigray capital as soldiers take over airport apnews.com
TPLF forces took control of Mekelle airport and fought federal troops at two locations in the Afar region, while Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to three Tigray airports in an apparent collapse of the Pretoria Agreement that ended the 2020-2022 war in the country.