News Made Clear · Loading…
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to three cities in Tigray following the reported seizure of their airports by Tigrayan fighters. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for restraint as fighting is also reported outside the region.
AI translation of the original article. Independent human translation review is pending. Read the original
Review information is loading.
On 23 September, Guterres expressed grave concern over reports of intensified fighting in and around Tigray and its spread to neighbouring areas. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, he called for immediate de-escalation, the protection of civilians and safe, unhindered access for aid organisations. He warned against steps that could lead to a broader and more devastating conflict. [1]
Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire that same day. The airline cited the current situation without further explanation. No date for resumption has been announced. The suspension does not mean that all transport and aid routes to Tigray have been closed. [2] [3]
According to conflict monitor ACLED, the Tigray Defense Forces, led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), seized the three airports. The AP news agency spoke to an anonymous taxi driver who had seen lightly armed TPLF fighters at Mekelle airport. According to AP, the takeover appeared to have been peaceful: no gunfire had been heard in or around the airport. The available sources contain no separate eyewitness accounts for Axum and Shire. [8] [2]
Citing four sources, Reuters reports that Tigrayan fighters were also active in the neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara. According to those sources, they fought alongside a local armed group in Afar and the Fano militia in Amhara. The broader scale and intensity of the fighting were unclear, the news agency said. There is no independently verified casualty total. [4]
Who began the escalation remains disputed. The TPLF-led regional government describes its actions as a defence against federal attacks. Getachew Reda, an adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a former TPLF official, instead accuses the TPLF of a large-scale offensive against government positions. There is no independent reconstruction of the sequence of attacks. [4]
10 listed sources · explore evidence, limitations and provenance.
Sign in to give this article a thumbs up or down.
Private test discussion. Comments are readers’ views and are not yet automatically fact-checked. Editing is available for 60 seconds after posting.
Sign in with a confirmed reader account and choose a username to read comments and participate.
Sorting applies to top-level comments; replies remain oldest first. New comments and likes can change the order. Refresh for the current ranking.
Loading comments…
There was also fighting earlier this year. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported in February that fighting between federal and Tigrayan forces had intensified in late January, with both sides using heavy weapons. [6]
The Pretoria agreement of November 2022 requires both sides to end hostilities, including air strikes. It also stipulates that federal security bodies are to take full control of airports in Tigray. In addition, the TPLF must refrain from collaborating with armed groups elsewhere in Ethiopia. These provisions form the framework for diplomatic calls to stop the violence. [5] [1]
Guterres supports the African Union's mediation efforts, including the involvement of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The aim is to bring the parties back to negotiations within the framework of the Pretoria agreement. A resumption of those talks has not been confirmed. [1]