Ethiopian Airlines to Restart Mekelle Flights on October 11

Ethiopian Airlines announced the resumption of flights to Mekelle on October 11, following a three-week suspension due to the security situation in the region. The airline had halted flights to Mekelle, Shire, and Axum on September 23, citing unspecified security issues in Tigray.

This suspension occurred after reports indicated that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces had taken control of the airports in these cities. The loss of Mekelle was a significant setback for the TPLF-led opposition alliance, which had launched a major offensive against the Ethiopian army on the same day, marking the worst escalation of fighting since the civil war from 2020 to 2022.

Although TPLF forces have retreated from Mekelle over the past week, the security situation in the region remains unstable. The restoration of flights to Mekelle is expected to re-establish a crucial transport link between Tigray and the federal capital, Addis Ababa.