Tigray’s Ashenda Festival Cancelled Over Drone Strike Threats
· World · BBC News, France 24
Ethiopia’s Virgin Mary festival and Ashenda celebration in Mekelle, Tigray, were cancelled due to fears of drone attacks. The mass gathering, scheduled for Saturday at a Mekelle stadium, was called off amid ongoing tensions and recent strikes by federal forces. Tigray’s regional authorities blamed the government for deadly drone attacks, including an August 18 strike near Mekelle that injured thirteen. The cancellation underscores rising instability following a 2022 peace deal that ended a two-year civil war. Ethiopia’s federal government has not responded to the allegations.
Why it matters
The cancellation affects thousands of Tigray residents and signals renewed conflict risks in the region after the civil war.
Read the original report — BBC News
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