Ethiopia Cancels Ashenda Festival Over Drone Strike Fears

In Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, organizers announced the cancellation of the Ashenda festival – a three‑day celebration of Orthodox Christian women and the Virgin Mary – after a series of drone attacks on the city.

The festival, which draws thousands of young women in white dresses and silver crosses to dance in public, had been scheduled to be massed in a stadium on Saturday. However officials said the event could be a target for the continuing threat of drones “in the face of potential war.”

Since the Tigray war ended in 2022, the region has seen sporadic violence. A drone strike on 18 August injured thirteen civilians and damaged homes in Mekelle, while earlier strikes near Dandera and Raya‑Alamata caused casualties.

Tigray’s culture and tourism bureau cited the strikes and the “ongoing threat of war” as reasons for the cancellation. Regional authorities have called on the international community to condemn the attacks and to take diplomatic action to prevent further escalation.

Data on drone strikes remains contested, with federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front blaming each other for violations of the 2022 peace agreement. The risk of a resurgence of hostilities fuels fears for the festival’s safety and the wellbeing of its participants.

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