The fragile peace in Northern Ethiopia is cracking. In a move that signals impending chaos, Ethiopian Airlines has abruptly suspended all flights to Mekelle and other Tigray destinations, leaving thousands stranded and confirming the worst fears of the international community: the war is back.

The carrier’s cryptic text message to passengers citing "unplanned circumstances" masks a terrifying reality on the ground. Reports from the Mai Degusha area in western Tigray indicate heavy clashes between federal forces and Tigrayan fighters. The 2022 Pretoria peace deal, which silenced the guns after two years of carnage, appears to be unraveling hour by hour.

The Siege Returns?

For the people of Tigray, the flight ban is not just an inconvenience; it is a siege tactic. During the previous conflict, the blockade of air and road routes led to man-made famine. "When the planes stop, the hunger starts," says humanitarian worker Sarah Tesfaye from Addis Ababa. "It is the first sign that they are closing the gates."

• The Flashpoint: The conflict centers on "Western Tigray," a fertile territory claimed by both Amhara and Tigray forces. The promised referendum has stalled, and patience has run out.
• Regional Fallout: Kenya is watching nervously. A renewed civil war in Ethiopia threatens to spill refugees across the border and destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.

Silence from Addis

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has remained ominously silent. The suspension of flights without a formal statement suggests a military directive rather than a commercial decision. As the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa buzzes with emergency diplomatic cables, the ordinary citizens in the north are once again looking at the sky—not for rain, but for drones.