Tigray forces seize regional airports as clashes with Ethiopian troops spread to Afar

Regional airports seized

Tigrayan forces took control of Alula Aba Nega Airport in Mekelle overnight from federal police, local sources and airport personnel reported on Wednesday. Regional fighters armed with light weapons also moved into airports in Shire and Axum, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend all scheduled flights to the three northern hubs. The state-owned carrier cited the security situation for the halt, leaving chartered aircraft as the only air transport into Tigray. Tigray regional authorities announced hours after the airport takeovers that their military had entered what they termed a defensive battle against federal troops. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the federal government did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the airport seizures.

Ground clashes spread to Afar and Amhara

The renewed hostilities extended beyond Tigray into the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions late on Tuesday. Humanitarian workers in Afar reported direct fighting between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal troops in the border towns of Abala and Erebti, located roughly 100 kilometers apart. A foreign security source confirmed that Tigrayan forces had established control over Abala, where federal troops had maintained bases during previous months. A former senior TPLF official stated that regional fighters held positions in Berhale, Erebti, Abala, Megale, Dalul, and Konoba, while describing federal units as retreating. Aid organizations dispatched emergency food trucks to assist civilians displaced by the combat along the regional boundary.

Aerial bombardments and civilian casualties

The ground escalation followed a series of aerial bombardments conducted by federal aircraft and drones across Tigray. In the southern town of Alamata, local authorities reported that more than five drones and one fighter jet launched at least 21 strikes starting at 03:30 on Tuesday. Alamata Mayor Mogos Shiferaw stated that the strikes hit two unoccupied secondary schools, leaving at least 14 civilians dead and 22 others injured.

This caused a lot of psychological trauma in our city and our people were in a state of panic.

The United States State Department Bureau of African Affairs separately condemned a drone strike on Monday that targeted a Catholic convoy carrying food aid, calling for an investigation and peaceful dialogue. Tigrayan authorities attributed the renewed fighting to federal bombardments and declared that regional forces were instructed to resist federal attacks.

Political coalition and breakdown of peace pact

The outbreak of fighting follows months of deteriorating relations between Tigray and the central government after the November 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement. In May, the TPLF re-established its regional administration, replacing the interim authority appointed by Addis Ababa under the peace accord. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose Prosperity Party retained power following boycotted general elections in June, told parliament in July that Tigrayan leaders were preparing for fresh hostilities. Tensions increased further on Sunday when the TPLF formed the seven-member Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival with six other armed groups across the country to oppose the federal government. The African Union estimates that the 2020 to 2022 civil war resulted in approximately 600,000 deaths and left more than 1 million people displaced.