Ethiopian Airlines resumed commercial flights between Addis Ababa and Mekelle on Sunday, restoring a key air link to the capital of the Tigray region after a suspension that began on September 23. The first flight landed at Alula Aba Nega International Airport on October 11, according to the Ethiopian News Agency.
The national carrier had suspended services to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire on September 23, citing the security situation in Tigray. Addis Insight reported at the time that the airline halted services to Tigray's three main airports after reports that Tigrayan forces had taken control of Mekelle airport amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia.
ENA's report on the resumption did not say what conditions allowed service to resume. ENA reported that flights to Axum and Shire are also expected to resume soon.
Ashenafi Solomon, a passenger on the first flight, told ENA he was relieved to return to Mekelle after being stranded in Addis Ababa during the suspension:
> "I feel very happy. I had traveled to Mekelle for work, but when the flights were unexpectedly canceled, I was deeply disappointed. Now that flights have resumed amid relative peace, I was able to travel on the first flight."
Ashenafi described the toll of the interruption on residents:
> "The people of Tigray have suffered greatly. Trade and access to medicine have been disrupted, and many people continue to face serious difficulties."
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He urged the federal government and other stakeholders to consolidate peace and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of medical supplies and humanitarian assistance.
Another stranded passenger, Hadera, expressed similar relief:
> "I am very happy that Ethiopian Airlines flights have resumed to Mekelle. I was stuck in Addis Ababa because of the suspension. We all need peace, and we want that peace to be sustained."
The account of the flight resumption and all passenger reactions come from ENA, a state news agency. The Abay Times could not independently verify the conditions on the ground or the status of the airports.
The suspension came amid a broader deterioration of security in northern Ethiopia. War in Tigray first broke out in November 2020 between Ethiopian federal forces and their allies and Tigrayan forces led by the TPLF, ending with a cessation-of-hostilities agreement signed in Pretoria in November 2022. Ahead of the latest suspension, the Tigray People's Liberation Front had announced an alliance with six other armed groups opposed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, Addis Insight reported. The Abay Times was unable to locate independent confirmation of the current security conditions in Tigray.
Sources: Horn Diplomat, Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), Addis Insight.
