Local forces in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray have seized control of the airport in the regional capital, Mekelle, from federal police, local residents have told the BBC.
No flights are currently landing at the airport and Ethiopian Airlines said it had suspended flights to Mekelle and the cities of Shire and Axum because of what it called the “current situation” in Tigray.
There have been escalating tensions this year between the government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the party that runs Tigray, fuelling fears of a return to civil war.
On Sunday, the TPLF announced an alliance with six armed groups in Ethiopia to remove the government in Addis Ababa.
A two-year war in Tigray ended in November 2022 – but both sides are now accusing each other of violating an African Union-mediated peace deal.
It was one of the most-deadly conflicts this century, with the AU’s mediator estimating some 600,000 people died as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine.
The flight suspension follows a series of reported drone strikes in Tigray.
On Tuesday, a strike in the southern town of Alamata killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others, according to the Tigrayan authorities.
The town’s mayor, Mogos Shiferaw, told the BBC that more than five drones and one fighter jet had carried out more than 21 strikes beginning at around 03:30.
“This caused a lot of psychological trauma in our city and our people were in a state of panic,” he said.
Mogos said all those killed and injured were civilians, accusing federal forces of targeting two secondary schools.
He believed they were struck on suspicion that they were being used by Tigrayan forces.
But the mayor said the schools, which had served as federal military bases during the civil war, were unoccupied as the academic year had not yet begun.
The BBC has not independently verified the allegations and the government has not publicly commented.
On Wednesday, the Tigray authorities accused Addis Ababa of launching an open invasion on the region’s residents, urging people to support the regional forces and maintain unity.
Meanwhile, the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs has condemned a separate drone strike that it said took place on Monday, targeting a convoy of Catholic vehicles carrying food aid.
It called for an investigation and urged all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and take steps to prevent similar incidents.
Both Addis Ababa and TPLF leaders have faced criticism over delays in implementing key provisions of the Pretoria Agreement, which formally ended the conflict in November 2022.
In July, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of preparing for renewed conflict during an address to parliament.
Just before the general election in May, the TPLF restored its pre-war administration, disbanding an interim one appointed by Abiy.
There have also been reports that the TPLF has forcibly recruiting young men to join its forces.
By BBC News
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