In brief
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of an all‑out invasion of its northern Tigray region and warned it will defend itself. The Ethiopian foreign minister’s letter to the UN Security Council described the incursion as a blatant act of aggression that triggers Ethiopia’s right to self‑defence. In response, Eritrea’s information minister denied the claim and accused Ethiopia of seeking to seize Eritrean territory. Drone strikes reportedly hit Eritrean troops in the town of Adigrat, raising concerns of a broader conflict across the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of an all‑out invasion of its northern Tigray region and warned it will defend itself.
In a letter sent to the UN Security Council, Ethiopia’s foreign minister described the incursion as a “blatant act of aggression” that justifies its inherent right to self‑defence.
Eritrea’s information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, responded by claiming it was facing an unprovoked war of aggression from its neighbour and denied any involvement in the Tigray conflict.
The two countries are locked in a dispute that dates back to the 2020 tensions over control of the border region, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of backing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) – an allegation the Eritrean government rejects.
During the two‑year civil war, Eritrea had been a key ally of the Ethiopian government, fighting alongside them against the TPLF. Relations have since deteriorated, partly over Ethiopia’s ambitions to take ownership of one of Eritrea’s Red Sea ports, leading to the severing of diplomatic ties last week.
Ethiopia’s foreign minister said Eritrean forces had advanced up to 60km (37 miles) into Tigray. Ethiopian drone strikes reportedly targeted Eritrean forces in the Tigrayan town of Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday, amid fears of a wider regional war.
US‑based conflict monitor ACLED said “Eritrean troops and ammunition” in Adigrat were hit by “multiple drone strikes” overnight. A resident told AFP news agency that many drone strikes had destroyed Eritrean lorries and that some Eritrean forces appeared to be retreating north after the strikes.
There have so far been no verified reports of casualties, and the BBC is unable to report from Tigray at this time.
The letter to the UN Security Council, dated 8 October, called for understanding, support and solidarity, reflecting Ethiopia’s urgency in defending its sovereignty. Eritrea, however, has portrayed the conflict as a manifestation of Ethiopia’s attempts to destabilise the region and has accused the Ethiopian government of seeking a pretext to seize Eritrean territory.
The latest unrest follows months of tension and the launch of a new alliance of armed groups in Ethiopia, including the TPLF, in September. TPLF forces withdrew from Mekelle, the main city of Tigray, which is now under Ethiopian army control.
