Ethiopia Cancels Virgin Mary Festival in Tigray Amid Drone Strike Concerns

The traditional Ashenda festival, a major cultural and religious event honoring women and the Virgin Mary in Ethiopia's Tigray region, has been cancelled this year amid security concerns.

The main gathering was scheduled to take place at a stadium in Mekelle, the regional capital, but recent drone strikes targeting the city and surrounding areas led authorities to call off the event.

Security Threats Prompt Cancellation

Tigray is still recovering from a devastating civil war that ended in 2022, but tensions remain high. Regional officials have attributed a series of deadly drone strikes to federal forces, raising fears of a possible resumption of hostilities.

According to Tigray's communications bureau, the latest drone attack on Mekelle injured 13 civilians and damaged homes. Other strikes near Dandera and Raya-Alamata districts have resulted in fatalities and injuries over the past weeks.

Dori Asgedom, head of Tigray's culture and tourism bureau, explained the cancellation was necessary due to the ongoing threat of drone attacks and potential escalation of conflict, condemning the strikes as unforgivable acts against innocent citizens.

Calls for International Intervention

The regional administration urged the international community to condemn the attacks and take urgent diplomatic measures to prevent further violence. The Ashenda festival, which celebrates young women with traditional dress, music, and dance, is an important cultural event eagerly anticipated across northern Ethiopia.

Despite a peace agreement signed in 2022 between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government, political tensions persist. The TPLF recently reinstated its pre-war regional council, rejecting the interim administration established under the peace deal, with both sides accusing each other of non-compliance.