Flights Resume to Mekelle After Ethiopian Forces Retake Tigray Capital
Commercial flights to Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, resumed on October 11, 2026, restoring an important transport link after nearly three weeks of disruption amid renewed fighting. Ethiopian Airlines suspended services after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took control of the city and its airport on September 23.
The resumption of flights to Mekelle follows the withdrawal of TPLF fighters and the return of federal forces to the city on October 3. However, the renewed conflict continues to raise concerns about security and the future of the 2022 peace agreement.
- Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights to Mekelle on October 11 after a suspension lasting nearly three weeks.
- Federal forces regained control of the city on October 3, following the withdrawal of TPLF fighters.
- Unconfirmed reports suggest the airline could operate around five daily flights, depending on demand.
- Getachew Reda, an adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, promised changes in Tigray during a visit to Mekelle.
- Renewed fighting has heightened concerns about regional stability and tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea.
The return of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Mekelle offers residents a restored connection with Ethiopia’s federal capital, Addis Ababa. The airline had also suspended services to Axum and Shire on September 23. According to the latest report, flights to those two cities remained suspended.
During his visit to Mekelle airport on Sunday, Getachew Reda told supporters that the government would bring “visible change” to the region. Reda, a former Tigray leader who now advises Abiy Ahmed, did not provide details of the promised changes.
The renewed fighting has undermined the peace agreement that ended the 2020–2022 Tigray war. Researchers at Ghent University have estimated that the conflict caused approximately 518,000 civilian deaths, including deaths linked to violence, famine and limited access to healthcare. This is a research estimate rather than a definitive casualty count.
The restoration of flights to Mekelle does not necessarily signal a lasting improvement in security. Uncertainty remains over the resumption of services to other Tigrayan cities, while tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have raised fears of a wider regional confrontation.
The TPLF joined six other opposition groups in an alliance seeking to remove Abiy Ahmed from power. Whether renewed air connectivity can support a broader return to normal life will depend on security conditions and further political developments.
