Ethiopia's Mekelle airport in Tigray seized by local forces, residents tell the BBC. — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/ethiopia-s-mekelle-airport-in-tigray-seized-by-local-forces-residents-tell-the-bbcContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. Local forces seize Mekelle airport as Tigrayan leaders declare new warhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/ethiopia-s-mekelle-airport-in-tigray-seized-by-local-forces-residents-tell-the-bbchttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/ethiopia-s-mekelle-airport-in-tigray-seized-by-local-forces-residents-tell-the-bbc#u83310Fri, 25 Sep 2026 03:10:20 +0000Local forces have seized the airport in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to cancel flights to the city and suspend service to three northern Tigray airports. Tigrayan leaders state a new war with the Ethiopian government has begun. Tigray has ordered its armed forces into "defensive combat" as reports of fighting emerge across the region. The seizure of the capital's airport indicates a rapid escalation of hostilities and a breakdown in stability in northern Ethiopia.Why it mattersThis conflict involves a struggle for power and autonomy between the ce