Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to the Mekelle, Aksum and Shire airports due to the “current situation in the Tigray region,” the airline announced in a statement today.
Although the airline did not clearly state the circumstances that hampered its flight operations, the suspension comes at a time when tension between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has reached its climax.
In the past, flight interruptions have been a sign of escalation. This move has created fear that the country could plunge into another round of devastating conflict. The TPLF has officially renounced the Pretoria peace agreement and banned the Tigray Interim Administration—which is backed by the federal government—claiming that it has failed the Tigray people.
Both the federal government and the TPLF have accused each other of breaching the agreement and dragging their feet on the implementation of its declarations. The accusations went so far as to have Addis Ababa accuse the TPLF of colluding with anti-Ethiopian foes, including the Eritrean regime.
