Tigrayan Forces Seize 3 Airports as Ethiopia and Tigray Trade Offensive Claims
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 24
Tigrayan Forces Seize 3 Airports as Ethiopia and Tigray Trade Offensive Claims
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 24
Summary
Tigrayan forces took control of federally administered airports in Mekelle and elsewhere, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to cancel all flights to Tigray and sharpening fears of a return to full-scale war.
Ethiopia said the TPLF launched an all-out offensive into Afar and Amhara, while Tigray said it had entered a defensive war after drone strikes and an "open invasion" by Addis Ababa.
At least 14 people were killed and 22 injured in a Tuesday strike on Alamata, Tigrayan authorities said, while the US also condemned a separate Monday drone strike on a Catholic aid convoy.
The flare-up comes after the TPLF announced an alliance with six other armed groups to remove Abiy Ahmed's government, deepening strains over the 2022 Pretoria peace deal.
The African Union called for immediate de-escalation and renewed talks as the conflict that killed about 600,000 people in 2020-2022 threatens to reignite.
Could the unprecedented 2026 rebel alliance finally topple Ethiopia's federal government, or will devastating drone strikes crush the uprising?
With airports seized and peace treaties shattered, what hidden geopolitical motives are driving the sudden collapse of Ethiopia's fragile ceasefire?
Ethiopia on the Brink: The September 2026 Mekelle Airport Seizure, Collapse of the Pretoria Agreement, and the Humanitarian Crisis Threatening Millions
Overview
In September 2026, Tigrayan forces seized Mekelle’s airport, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend all flights and isolating the region just as renewed fighting erupted along the Tigray-Afar border. This escalation triggered fresh waves of civilian displacement and widespread panic, with families in Mekelle rushing to withdraw cash amid fears of siege. The conflict’s roots trace back to unresolved territorial disputes and shifting alliances, including Eritrea’s support for Tigrayan and Fano militias to weaken the federal government. As military redeployments created security vacuums, aid agencies struggled to respond, facing severe funding shortfalls while millions risked losing life-saving assistance.