Ethiopian Airlines has halted flights to Eritrea, citing challenging operating conditions. The suspension comes after Eritrea announced it would end all Ethiopian Airlines flights by the end of the month.
Flights between the two nations had resumed in 2018, following a peace agreement that ended two decades of hostility and led to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Diplomatic sources suggest the flight suspension indicates a deterioration in relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara, though a return to conflict is not expected.
The two countries previously severed ties in 1998 due to a border war, and tensions have resurfaced following Eritrea’s exclusion from peace talks that ended the Tigray conflict.
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest by revenue, announced it would assist affected passengers with rebooking or refunds but did not specify the exact nature of the operational challenges. Eritrean officials have not commented on the suspension.