Tigray Forces Seize Mekelle Airport in Ethiopia as New Rebel Alliance Launches Offensive in One of the World's Most Dangerous Countries
Tigray forces have seized Mekelle airport in northern Ethiopia as part of a new rebel alliance aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, reigniting fears of full-scale conflict.
Rebel Alliance Captures Key Airport in One of the World's Most Dangerous Countries
Tigrayan forces took control of Mekelle airport from federal police overnight. [3] Ethiopian Airlines suspended all flights to Mekelle, Shire and Axum due to the current situation in the Tigray region. [3] Residents of Mekelle told the BBC that local forces had taken over the city's airport from the national police early on Wednesday. [4] The state-owned carrier said on social media that flights to those cities had been halted without giving further details. [3] Two local sources told Reuters that Tigrayan forces had taken control of the airport from federal police. [3]
Formation of Anti-Government Coalition
On September 20, seven Ethiopian armed groups including the Tigray People's Liberation Front announced the formation of the Ethiopian People's Forces Alliance for Survival. [1] The alliance brings together groups from Tigray in the north to the Fano militias in Amhara and the Oromo Liberation Army. [1] The groups announced the alliance aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and establishing a transitional administration. [1] The TPLF announced on Sunday it had formed an alliance with six other armed groups across Ethiopia. [3] The alliance's stated objective is to overthrow the federal government. [1] The groups regard Abiy Ahmed's rule as a direct threat to the survival of their respective communities. [1]
Escalating Accusations and Drone Strikes
Ethiopia's government and the party in control of Tigray have accused each other of launching offensives. [4] On Tuesday a strike in the southern town of Alamata killed at least 14 people and injured 22 others according to Tigrayan authorities. [4] 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 starting at around 03:30. [4] The mayor said all those killed and injured were civilians and accused federal forces of targeting two secondary schools. [4] The Tigray authorities accused Addis Ababa of launching an open invasion of the region. [4] The two sides signed a peace deal in November 2022 to end the war but each has been accusing the other of violating the agreement. [3]
Strategic Implications for the Red Sea Region
The conflict in Ethiopia could reignite and draw in a significant part of the Federation with possible repercussions for the wider regional balance of power. [1] Ethiopia is a strategically important hinterland from which the balance of power among the countries bordering the Red Sea can be influenced. [1] First and foremost there is Eritrea which was already involved in the Tigray conflict. [1] Then there is Sudan where according to various allegations supplies to the Rapid Support Forces are reportedly being delivered from bases in Ethiopia. [1] Finally there are Djibouti and Somaliland the northern region of Somalia that unilaterally declared independence in 1991. [1] Developments in the Ethiopian crisis are closely connected to events on the Asian side of the Red Sea which inevitably have repercussions on the African side of this strategic maritime corridor. [1]
Background on Prior Conflict and Peace Deal
The two-year war in Tigray ended in 2022 but over recent months both sides have been accusing each other of violating a peace deal. [4] It was one of the most deadly conflicts this century with the African Union's mediator estimating some 600,000 people died. [4] The Ethiopian military has carried out several drone strikes against Tigrayan forces in recent months according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project. [3] In May the TPLF seized control of the region's government from the interim administration established under the peace deal. [3] Both Addis Ababa and TPLF leaders have faced criticism over delays in implementing key provisions of the Pretoria Agreement the AU-brokered deal that formally ended the conflict in November 2022. [4]
What to watch next: 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 and called for an investigation while urging all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue. [4]
