Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights to Tigray region

​Ethiopian Airlines said on Wednesday it had suspended flights to ‌three airports in the northern region of Tigray.

The carrier said on social media that flights to the regional ‌capital Mekelle and the cities of Shire ‌and Axum had been halted "due to the current situation in Tigray region," without giving further details. Two local sources told Reuters ⁠that ​Tigrayan forces, ⁠who fought the federal government during a 2020-2022 civil war, ⁠had taken control of the Mekelle airport from federal police overnight.

Spokespeople ​for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the ⁠federal government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On ⁠Sunday, ​the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the political party that runs Tigray and led the region ⁠during the civil war, announced it had formed an ⁠alliance with ⁠six other armed groups across Ethiopia aimed at overthrowing Abiy's government.