Flights Halted to Lalibela as Tigray Fighting Escalates

Flights to Lalibela, the historic town in Ethiopia's Amhara region known for its medieval rock-hewn churches, were suspended on Thursday after fighting intensified nearby, according to four diplomats, two local residents and a source linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the allied Fano militia. A diplomatic source said clashes were occurring around the town but had not yet reached its centre.

The suspension came as Tigrayan forces seized three local airports and launched attacks in Afar and Amhara regions alongside allies this week — the most serious escalation since the 2020-22 war between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian government.

In its first public comments on the renewed hostilities, Ethiopia's army said it had foiled the attacks and killed, wounded or captured more than 500 enemy fighters. Lieutenant General Assefa Chekol, commander of the North East Command, said 272 attackers were killed and 260 wounded. The figures could not be independently verified, and a TPLF spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Addis Ababa has accused the TPLF of launching a major offensive, while TPLF leaders say they entered a "defensive" war to counter aggression by the federal government, which they say has deployed drones, artillery and ground forces against them. A government official said the TPLF carried out a premeditated assault on civilian infrastructure but stressed that dialogue remained open for groups that laid down their arms.

In Mekelle, the Tigrayan capital, Tigrayan forces patrolled the streets and drones flew overhead, a resident said. People were hoarding food and withdrawing cash, fearing siege conditions similar to those during the previous conflict. In Adigrat, near the Eritrean border, another resident described panic-buying and emptying shops. "Food shortages are worsening as market shelves sit empty ... essential medicines remain scarce and astronomically expensive," he said. "Daily survival has become a constant calculation."

Both residents said they had seen young people forced to join the war effort. The Adigrat resident said an 18-year-old whose father died in the last war was taken by force, referring to TPLF recruitment. The TPLF has previously denied conducting forced recruitment.

The United Nations and the European Union called for restraint and a return to the African Union-brokered peace process that ended the 2020-22 conflict, which killed hundreds of thousands. "Immediate de-escalation is needed," the EU said in a statement, noting military actions by both sides. "Differences can only be resolved through dialogue and not military action."

Renewed war in Tigray risks further destabilising the Horn of Africa, a region already strained by deteriorating Ethiopia-Eritrea ties, Sudan's civil war, frictions over Red Sea access and spillover from Middle East conflicts. After the last war, splits emerged within the TPLF, and a hardline faction reasserted control over the region last year, ousting an interim administration. The TPLF has since formed an alliance with six other armed groups aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The government has accused Eritrea of financially backing alliance members, allegations Asmara denies.