Drone strike demolishes Tigrai TV headquarters amid Tigray fighting
A drone hit the main building of Tigrai TV in Mekelle, causing the structure to be heavily damaged and forcing staff to flee.
In Mekelle, the headquarters of Tigrai TV was struck by a drone, according to the station's journalists, who heard a loud blast and then evacuated the premises. The building was subsequently bombed, leaving the façade badly ruined. Tigrai TV is regarded as an important media voice for the Tigray rebel movement, and the Ethiopian government announced last week that the channel would be permanently shut down and its content prohibited.
The attack follows recent escalations between government forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which captured several local airfields. Since Friday, the region has also experienced significant internet and telephone service disruptions.
How this story developed
- Sep 18 Around 300 Tigray fighters surrender as tensions rise along the Tekeze corridor
- Sep 23 Local sources say Tigrayan forces took control of the main airport in the regional capital Mekelle from federal police. In response, Ethiopian Airlines announced on social media that flights to Mekelle and the nearby cities of Shire and Axum are suspended due to the situation. The seizure follows the recent formation of an alliance of the TPLF and six other armed groups that aim to topple Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. Relations between the federal authorities and the Tigray People's Liberation Front have deteriorated since the 2020-22 war that left hundreds of thousands dead. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement.
- Sep 23 Ethiopian Airlines posted a flight suspension following the reported airport seizure.
- Sep 25 Federal forces and TPLF fighters clashed in Afar while a telecom blackout hit Tigray.
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