Ethiopia suspends flights to Tigray as fears of renewed fighting rise

Ethiopia’s national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines , has cancelled flights to and from the northern Tigray region amid growing fears of renewed conflict between federal troops and regional forces . Customers were informed of cancellations due to “unplanned circumstances,” though the airline has issued no official statement .

Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia bordering Eritrea , has a long history of political tension . Its capital, Mekele , is the centre of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) , which dominated Ethiopia’s federal politics for decades until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018.

The region was the site of a brutal war between federal and Tigrayan forces from 2020 to 2022, with Eritrean troops actively involved alongside Ethiopian forces. That war left hundreds of thousands dead and created a major humanitarian crisis. A peace agreement signed in 2022 ended the fighting, but tensions have persisted. The Tigray administration accuses the federal government of breaching the deal after a drone strike last year, while Ethiopia alleges Eritrea is funding armed groups in the region. Experts warn that a potential Tigray–Eritrea alliance could change the strategic balance in the north.

A senior Ethiopian security official , speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspension of flights is linked to “ new conflict between federal troops and regional forces,” with reports of drones and military movements in western and southern Tigray.

The disruption has caused panic among civilians . Many residents are attempting to flee Tigray by road . In Mekele, bus tickets to Addis Ababa are fully booked until Tuesday, and long lines have formed at banks and ATMs, with many running out of cash. “I don’t want to face the hardships I went through in the past war,” said Solomon Tadesse, a resident trying to leave Mekele.

Even in the capital Addis Ababa , citizens expressed concern. “This time Ethiopia deserves peace . No one will benefit from war,” said resident Gizachew Belay .

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has in recent months taken a forceful stance on national security and regional issues , including Ethiopia’s historic loss of direct access to the Red Sea after Eritrea’s 1993 secession . Trade now largely passes through Djibouti , adding significant costs. Abiy’s rhetoric has sometimes been seen as provocative, and regional experts warn that a new conflict in Tigray could have broader implications for Ethiopia’s security and economic stability.

Kjetil Tronvoll , professor of peace and conflict studies at the University of Oslo, noted that the dynamics of a renewed war would differ from 2020–2022, as Tigrayan forces could receive external support from Eritrea, changing the potential supply lines and battlefield strategy.

The suspension of flights highlights both the immediate humanitarian impact on residents and the fragile security situation in northern Ethiopia, raising concerns of a return to large-scale violence in the region.