Ethiopia's Ashenda Festival Canceled Amid Drone Attack Fears in Tigray

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:46:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The annual Ashenda celebration for women in northern Ethiopia was called off in Mekelle after recent drone strikes, reflecting lingering tensions from a two‑year civil war.

In Mekelle, the city hosting Mekelle’s Ashenda festival was forced to cancel its mass gathering after escalating fears of drone attacks. The festival, long revered as a celebration of the Virgin Mary and female empowerment, had planned to bring thousands of young women into the city’s stadium. Tigray’s recent drone strikes, which injured civilians and damaged homes, have spurred the regional administration to halt public events amid concerns that conflict could reignite. Officials blamed federal forces for the attacks and urged the international community to condemn and intervene to prevent further escalation. The cancellation underscores the fragile peace seeking to balance cultural traditions with security threats in post‑war Tigray.

Ethiopia's Ashenda Festival Canceled Amid Drone Attack Fears in Tigray

Women in Mekelle wearing traditional white outfits for Ashenda

The annual Ashenda festival, which honours the Virgin Mary and celebrates women in northern Ethiopia, was abruptly cancelled in the city of Mekelle on Saturday. The event, which would have seen thousands of young women dressed in traditional white robes gather at a stadium, was shelved due to fears that drone strikes could target the crowd.

Tigray is still in the throes of recovery after a brutal two‑year civil war that ended in 2022. Recent attacks, including a drone strike that injured 13 civilians and damaged homes in Mekelle on Thursday, have prompted the regional authorities to suspect the federal armed forces of orchestrating these hostile actions.

The regional government has called for an international condemnation of the strikes and urged diplomatic intervention to prevent a potential resurgence of violence. Officials cited ongoing drone threats and the “threat of war” as the main reasons for cancelling the festival.

The cancellation highlights the fragile security situation in Tigray and raises concerns that cultural traditions might be repeatedly disrupted by lingering conflicts. As the region strives to maintain its cultural heritage, the threat of military escalation looms large.