Ethiopia: concern over the situation in Tigray
After Tigray defense forces captured Mekele airport and several other airports, Libération cited a researcher from Mekele University who said the seizures aim to break the air link between Addis Ababa and Tigray and provoke international intervention. The newspaper reported that escalation had been brewing for months and that Addis Ababa could respond with strikes, financial disruption, or a blockade, while a ground reconquest would precipitate open conflict. The researcher said Ethiopia is on the brink of a large-scale war, moving from a cold peace to active war on several fronts.
Why it matters: This matters for the briefing's theme of conflict, as the airport seizures mark a shift from cold peace to active war in Ethiopia.