ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines has temporarily suspended flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire in the country's Tigray region, effective on Wednesday, citing the "current situation" in the region.
The flight suspension comes amid heightened tensions in Tigray, following the announcement on Sunday of a new alliance by seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups, according to local media.
The airline also suspended flights to airports in the country's northernmost Tigray region earlier this year.
The region was at the epicenter of a two-year conflict between Ethiopian federal government-allied troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front since November 2020, which had left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The two parties in the conflict signed a peace accord in November 2022, bringing an end to hostilities and prompting Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights to destinations in the Tigray region after suspending them for more than a year. ■