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Tigray Forces Seize Mekelle Airport Amid Rising Ethiopia Conflict Fears
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Firstpost•23-09-2026, 15:39
Tigray Forces Seize Mekelle Airport Amid Rising Ethiopia Conflict Fears
- •Tigrayan forces have taken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, intensifying fears of a new major conflict.
- •The takeover led to the temporary suspension of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire.
- •This escalation follows months of renewed tensions and sporadic fighting despite the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which ended a devastating civil war from 2020 to 2022.
- •The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) recently joined six other armed groups to form the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, opposing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.
- •Concerns are growing about another full-scale war, given Ethiopia's expanded military capabilities and the unresolved issues from the previous conflict that displaced about one million people in Tigray.
Key Questions Answered
Tigrayan forces have taken control of the Alula Aba Nega Airport, which is the main airport located in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region.
Ethiopian Airlines announced the temporary suspension of all its flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire because of the deteriorating security situation in the region.
The TPLF joined six other groups to form the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, including the Amhara Fano National Movement, Oromo Liberation Army, Ogaden National Liberation Front, Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, Benishangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement, and Gumuz Peoples’ Democratic Movement.
