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WorldActive · 22h

TPLF seizes Mekelle airport; Ethiopian Airlines suspends Tigray flights

Regional forces took control of the airport Wednesday, prompting the state carrier to cancel service to three cities as tensions escalate ahead of 2027 elections.

newest coverage 6h agosummary written 18h ago31 pieces464 likes & upvotes15 comments NewswiresMastodonRedditYouTubeXGoogle News

What to know

  • TPLF forces took control of Mekelle airport Wednesday after the group announced an alliance Sunday with six other armed groups aimed at overthrowing PM Abiy Ahmed.
  • The seizure prompted Ethiopian Airlines to suspend all flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire—the only airline serving the region—cutting off air transport.
  • Tensions have escalated dramatically since the 2022 peace agreement ended a devastating 2020-2022 civil war; both sides accuse each other of violations, and federal forces have conducted recent drone strikes against TPLF positions.

“our supervisor called the driver and told him that the airport had been taken over by Tigray forces”

Alula Aba Nega Airport employee, airport worker in Mekelle · Al Jazeera (AFP) ↗

Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) regional force that seized airportPrime Minister Abiy Ahmed federal leaderEthiopian Airlines state-owned carrierFederal forces government military

TPLF seizes Mekelle airport; Ethiopian Airlines suspends Tigray flights
aljazeera.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

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4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PMnow · 2:06 AM ET
  1. 1
    “We sincerely apologise to our valued customers for any inconvenience caused by this suspension. We will inform you once flight operations resume.”
    — Ethiopian Airlines

    1. 5 outlets first by Bloomberg Markets, 21h ago · also Philadelphia Inquirer, Al Jazeera, Daily Maverick, France 24 EN · read ↗

    • TPLF forces have seized control of an airport in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, according to sources cited by AFP. The takeover comes after seven Ethiopian militias—including the TPLF—formed an alliance aimed at overthrowing the current government.

      @FaytuksNetworkX22h ago318▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
    • ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social

      War breaks out in Ethiopia. Tigrayan forces attack federal government positions on two fronts & capture the region's airports. There have been minor skirmishes here and there, but this is the most serious outbreak of fighting since the 2022 Pretoria ceasefire ended the Tigray war. Tragically, shuttle diplomacy efforts by the international…

      ZekuZelalem@dair-community.socialMastodon15h ago41▲view on Mastodon ↗
    • GeoWire@mastodon.social

      ⚡ NEWS TPLF Rebels Seize Tigray Airport Amid Escalating Conflict TPLF fighters have taken control of the airport in Tigray, marking a significant escalation in the conflict with federal troops. This military development coincides with other regional instability, including mass killings in South Africa and deadly fires in DR Congo. 📰 https://www…

      GeoWire@mastodon.socialMastodon8h agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. background

    TPLF forces seize Mekelle airport from federal police overnight — Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport in the regional capital from federal police overnight, according to local sources. A taxi driver at the airport told AP that soldiers from the TPLF carrying light arms occupied the facility and a commander ordered him to leave, saying no flights would be landing. The takeover appeared peaceful with no gunfire reported.

  3. background

    TPLF and six armed groups announce alliance to remove Abiy Ahmed — Seven opposition groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front, announced formation of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival on Sunday, aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his government.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets Tigray rebels seize airport and clash with federal forces as fighting in Ethiopia reignites

    first by Euronews, 19h ago · also Deutsche Welle EN, Straits Times

    2 more headlines
  2. 2 outlets Tigray forces seize main airport in northern Ethiopia from police, residents tell the BBC

    first by BBC, 18h ago · also BBC Africa

and 2 smaller pieces

What people are saying 3 voices from 1 site · best of 6 · verbatim