Ethiopian Airlines Suspends Flights to Tigray Amid Rising Tensions

Kigali, January 29, 2026 - Ethiopian Airlines has suspended passenger flights between Addis Ababa and towns in Tigray, citing unforeseen circumstances, amid fears of renewed fighting between government forces and the TPLF.

Neither the airline nor the government has officially commented. Tigray’s transport chief, Tadele Mengistu, confirmed the suspension, while BBC reporters in Mekelle said airport staff were told not to report to work. Bus transport between Addis Ababa and Tigray continues.

The 2022 peace deal remains unimplemented, as land disputes, June 2026 elections, and reports of clashes in Mai Degusha fuel tensions. The conflict centers on the Amhara region’s control of land in western Tigray, which the government says will be resolved by referendum, though up to one million displaced people may be unable to vote.

The war that began in November 2020 between the government and the TPLF caused massive destruction, with the African Union reporting over 600,000 deaths.