Local militias in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region have seized control of Mekelle airport, the regional capital, from federal police, residents told the BBC. Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to Mekelle, Shire, and Axum, citing the "current situation" in Tigray. This follows the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) announcing on Sunday an alliance with six Ethiopian armed groups aimed at overthrowing the government in Addis Ababa. On Tuesday, Tigrayan authorities reported a drone strike in the southern town of Alamata, killing at least 14 people and injuring 22. On Wednesday, Tigrayan authorities accused Addis Ababa of launching an open invasion against the region's residents, calling on the public to support local militias and remain united. The U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs condemned another drone strike on Monday targeting a Catholic convoy carrying food aid, calling for an investigation and urging all parties to resolve differences through dialogue to prevent similar incidents. Escalating tensions between the government and the TPLF have raised fears of a return to civil war in the region, with both sides accusing the other of violating the African Union-brokered peace agreement that ended the conflict in November 2022.