Flights Halted as Fighting Erupts in Tigray, Ethiopia, Diplomatic Sources Claim

Fresh clashes between Ethiopian federal troops and Tigrayan forces in western Tigray have reopened a volatile front in a region still reeling from war, displacement, and collapsing aid pipelines. The fighting, confirmed by security, diplomatic, and government sources cited by AFP and Reuters, triggered the suspension of flights to Tigray on Thursday.

Hostilities erupted in recent days in Tsemlet, an area of western Tigray claimed by both Tigray and neighboring Amhara region, though now controlled by Amhara forces and the Ethiopian military.

National Carrier Halts Flights

A security source told AFP that “the situation appears to be deteriorating,” while a diplomatic source cited by Reuters said short-lived clashes broke out earlier this week between national forces and fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Ethiopia’s national carrier confirmed that “as of today, all flights have been cancelled,” without providing a reason.

A senior Tigrayan official said the regional government had sought an explanation from Addis Ababa over the cancellations but had received no response. Senior officials from both sides told Reuters they hoped for de-escalation.

Panic Cash Drains

The operational impact was immediate. In Mekelle, Tigray’s capital, residents rushed to withdraw money as banks and ATMs ran dry. One resident told Reuters: “I went to three Commercial Bank of Ethiopia branches to withdraw some money but I was told they had no cash…. I have checked all ATMs in the town to withdraw cash, but all of them were empty.”

Another Mekelle resident, a 26-year-old man, said he was unable to send a package to Addis Ababa after learning that flights had been canceled starting Thursday morning, adding that most cash machines were not working.

These disruptions revive memories of the 2020-2022 Tigray war, which ended with a peace pact in November 2022 after two years of fighting between Ethiopian National Defense Force and the TPLF. Researchers cited by Reuters estimate that hundreds of thousands died through direct violence, healthcare collapse, and famine. AFP notes that the earlier conflict killed thousands and displaced millions more, leaving the region devastated and impoverished.

Aid Cuts Compound Instability

The renewed fighting unfolds against a sharply constrained humanitarian backdrop. Across Tigray, organizations including the World Food Programme say up to 80 percent of the population requires emergency support. Al Jazeera recently reported from Hitsats, describing a village sustained largely by humanitarian agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), once Ethiopia’s largest source of aid. That support was abruptly curtailed about a year ago after U.S. President Donald Trump took office and dismantled USAID programs worldwide. Ethiopia had been the largest recipient of USAID funding in sub-Saharan Africa before those cuts, according to Al Jazeera.

While Washington later announced the resumption of some assistance, aid workers say little has reached Tigray.

“Donor funding cuts have placed additional strain on an already fragile public health system,” Joshua Eckley, Doctors Without Borders’ head of mission in Ethiopia, told Al Jazeera.

As aid actors scale back or suspend activities in the region due to funding constraints, the most vulnerable are experiencing reduced access to medical care, water and sanitation services … while overall humanitarian needs continue to exceed the collective capacity.

Joshua Eckley, Head of Doctors Without Borders’ mission in Ethiopia

The immediate trigger for this week’s unrest lies in western Tigray, where disagreements persist over contested territories and the delayed disarmament of Tigrayan forces, despite the November 2022 peace agreement.

With flights grounded, cash scarce, and aid pipelines thinned, the episode highlights how unresolved territorial claims and funding gaps continue to test Ethiopia’s post-war stabilization.