Fighter jet reported over Mekelle in first such sighting since the Pretoria agreement

Mekelle, Tigray (Wegahta) - A fighter jet was seen maneuvering over the skies of Mekelle, Tigray’s capital today around 10:30 a.m according to local residents, marking the first military aircraft activity over the city since the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities agreement.

Witnesses said the aircraft was seen circling over parts of the city for several minutes before departing. The origin and operator of the jet could not be independently verified and there was no immediate official confirmation or comment from the Ethiopian federal government or regional authorities in Tigray.

However the sighting comes amid heightened tensions in Tigray, where concerns persist over the risk of renewed conflict amid deepening tensions between the Federal government and Tigray’s People’s Liberation Front. The security landscape in Tigray remains fragile, with recurring political disagreements and delays in fully implementing key provisions of the peace deal continuing to fuel mistrust and tensions among the signatories of the agreement.

Residents in Mekelle said the presence of a military aircraft over the city was unusual and distressing, given the absence of such incidents following the cessation of hostilities agreement.

There were no immediate reports of damage, casualties or associated military activity on the ground. It remained unclear whether the flight was part of routine operations, a training exercise, a deployment linked to rising tensions between the two sides or another form of military aerial activity.