Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights to the Tigrayan city of Mekelle on Wednesday, after 18 months of armed conflict cut the Ethiopian region off from the rest of the world. Many passengers arriving on the first flights from Tigray to Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa were greeting by their elated family members on Thursday. A shutdown in communications for much of the two-year conflict meant millions of Tigrayans have not spoken to their family in over 18 months, and many are still waiting to learn if their loved ones are still alive. Ethio Telecom reconnected its services to Mekelle and 28 other towns this week, according to the Ethiopian prime minister’s office. Repairs to more than half of the 1,800 km fiber-optic cable network in war-affected areas have been completed, the government said in a statement.

Source: Ethiopian News December 29, 2022 21:30 UTC