Ethiopian Airlines Cancels Flights to Tigray

Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled all flights to the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia as tensions escalate between the federal government and local authorities, an airline official said on Thursday.

The official told Reuters that all flights to Tigray had been suspended with immediate effect, without providing further details on the reasons behind the decision.

The move comes amid reports of renewed armed clashes between Ethiopian government forces and fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, raising fears of a collapse of fragile peace agreements brokered by international actors in recent years.

According to Agence France-Presse, heavy fighting broke out on Thursday in border areas inside Tigray, near the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara. Witnesses reported explosions caused by the use of heavy weapons during the clashes.

The violence comes against the backdrop of mounting political tensions within Tigray, including growing power struggles between the region’s interim administration and senior figures within the historic TPLF leadership.

In October, Ethiopia’s foreign ministry accused Eritrea and a faction within the TPLF of actively preparing for war against Ethiopia. In a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, the ministry alleged that Asmara and hardline TPLF elements were financing, mobilizing, and directing armed groups, particularly in Amhara, where the Ethiopian army has been battling an insurgency for several years.

The suspension of flights highlights growing concerns over security and stability in northern Ethiopia, as renewed conflict threatens regional transport links, civilian movement and broader efforts to preserve peace.