ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's national flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines announced on Wednesday it plans to resume flights to destinations in the conflict-scarred Tigray region in northern Ethiopia.
Speaking to state media outlet Ethiopian News Agency, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Mesfin Tassew said his company is preparing to start regular flights to destinations in Tigray that had been suspended for more than a year.
Tassew said the Mekelle and Shire Airports in the Tigray region are in good condition to be able to accommodate the resumption of flights.
However, he said another airport in the northern Tigray region, Axum airport which sustained conflict-related damages will need to undergo rehabilitation works before it can accommodate flights.
The recent peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) will allow the resumption of regular flights as well as facilitate humanitarian aid reach, the Ethiopian Airlines CEO said.
Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation in Africa, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which has left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government and the TPLF formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities after a two-year-old conflict.
