Federal forces of Ethiopia have regained control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, according to residents who spoke to the Associated Press on Saturday. The recapture reverses a seizure by Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters on Sept. 23, which had forced Ethiopian Airlines to suspend commercial flights to Mekelle and nearby cities.
Local impact and uncertainty
Residents who declined to be named, fearing retaliation, said they were unsure exactly when the federal troops moved back into the airport. Communication blackouts and disrupted cellphone networks have made verification difficult, and it remains unclear whether fighting occurred at the airfield.
People in Mekelle reported ongoing concerns about looting and the disruption of essential services such as banking and communications. Earlier this week, locals described fears of renewed isolation after the suspension of flights, and they noted that roads linking Tigray and the neighboring Afar region had been closed to civilian traffic.
Broader conflict dynamics
The airport’s change of hands comes as Ethiopia’s relationship with neighboring Eritrea deteriorates. Earlier this week, Ethiopia ordered ten Eritrean diplomats to leave the country and announced the closure of its embassy in Eritrea. Eritrea has denied accusations from Ethiopian authorities that it is supporting the TPLF.
Federal troops are fighting alongside allied Tigrayan forces, known as the Tigray Peace Force, a breakaway faction of the rebels, in the Afar region. The renewed hostilities threaten the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement that ended the two‑year war between federal forces and the TPLF.
Political context
The TPLF has joined six other opposition groups in an alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. While the extent of their military coordination remains unclear, the alliance underscores the ongoing political instability in Ethiopia.
International observers, including the African Union, have called for restraint, warning that renewed fighting could unravel the fragile peace that has held since 2022.
Humanitarian concerns
Civilians in Tigray continue to face hardship as they recover from the 2020‑2022 war. Disruptions to transportation, communications, and basic services compound the challenges of rebuilding lives and infrastructure.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that renewed conflict could exacerbate food insecurity and limit access to essential aid, further endangering a population already strained by years of war.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
