Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights to three northern Tigray airports

Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to three airports in the northern Tigray region, following reports that Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport, the region's main air hub. The suspension affects air travel connections between Tigray and the rest of Ethiopia.

Mekelle airport serves as a key transportation link for the Tigray region, and disruptions to its operations can have significant effects on the movement of people, goods and humanitarian assistance in and out of the area. The circumstances surrounding the takeover of the airport were not immediately detailed beyond the fact that Tigrayan forces had assumed control of the facility.

A region with a fragile recent history

Tigray has experienced significant instability in recent years, and any disruption to transportation infrastructure in the region draws close attention given the area's history of conflict and the humanitarian needs that have followed it. Airport access is often a critical factor in the delivery of aid and in maintaining civilian connections to the rest of the country.

Ethiopian Airlines, the country's flag carrier and one of Africa's largest airlines, has not detailed a timeline for when service to the affected airports might resume. The suspension leaves passengers and cargo operators reliant on alternative routes into and out of the region for the time being.

Further details about the situation at Mekelle airport, including the response of Ethiopian federal authorities, were not immediately available.