Alula Aba Nega Airport in Tigray came under government control

In the statement made by the pro-government Tigray Peace Forces, it was stated that Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport was completely taken under control and the forces were advancing towards the city center.

The statement also claimed that Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) executives fled to Eritrea, but this claim could not be confirmed by independent sources.

It has been confirmed by sources with knowledge of the developments that Ethiopian federal forces also took control of the airport.

No official statement has been made yet from the office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The airport has been under TPLF control since September

Alula Aba Nega Airport has been under the control of TPLF-led forces since September 23, when clashes intensified again in Tigray.

While TPLF-affiliated forces captured the airports in Mekelle and Shire on the same date, it was reported that Aksum Airport was also taken under control. Following this, Ethiopian Airlines suspended its flights to three destinations in the region.

The return of the airport to the control of government forces is the final stage of the counter-operation carried out by federal forces from the south of Tigray towards Mekelle.

Tension escalated in Ethiopia-Eritrea relations

The conflicts in Tigray are taking place at a time when diplomatic tensions between Ethiopia and its neighbor Eritrea are increasing.

Ethiopia closed its embassy in Eritrea and deported 10 Eritrean diplomats, accusing Eritrea of ​​supporting anti-government armed groups in the north of the country. Eritrea rejected the accusations and cut off diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.

The renewed clashes in Tigray raise concerns about the future of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, which was signed in November 2022 after the war in 2020-2022. It is feared that the latest developments in the region will turn into a broader regional crisis that may include Eritrea and other neighboring countries as well as Ethiopia.