Tigray forces take control of Ethiopia's main northern airport

Armed forces affiliated with the Tigray People's Liberation Front have taken control of Mekelle airport, Ethiopia's primary aviation hub in the northern region, according to accounts from residents in the area. The seizure from federal police marks a significant escalation in tensions between the regional administration and the federal government.

The development comes amid deteriorating relations between Addis Ababa and the TPLF, the dominant political force in Tigray region. Analysts and observers have warned that the heightened military posturing could signal a return to large-scale conflict in the strategically important northern territory.

The airport's capture represents a substantial shift in regional control and limits federal government capacity to project authority in the area. Such moves typically presage broader confrontation, with previous cycles of violence in Tigray having resulted in significant humanitarian consequences.

Federal authorities have not yet issued an official response to the airport seizure. The situation underscores persistent fault lines between the central government and the TPLF, which has wielded considerable political and military influence in the region.