Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of "All-Out Invasion" of Tigray Region

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of an "all-out invasion" of its northern Tigray region and warned it will defend itself, days after reports of Eritrean troops crossing the border.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Ethiopia's foreign minister described the alleged incursions as a "blatant act of aggression that engages Ethiopia's inherent right to self-defence." The accusations follow reported strikes on Eritrean forces within Tigray.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel countered that his country is facing "an unprovoked war of aggression" from Ethiopia. Fighting initially broke out between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls the Tigray region, two weeks ago.

Both sides blame each other for violating a peace deal signed in 2022 that ended a prior civil war. Ethiopia claims Eritrea has been supporting the TPLF, an allegation Eritrea denies. During the previous two-year conflict, Eritrea was a significant ally of the Ethiopian government, fighting alongside them against the TPLF. However, relations between the two neighboring countries have since deteriorated, notably over Ethiopia's Prime Minister's stated ambition to gain access to one of Eritrea's Red Sea ports, leading to the severance of diplomatic ties last week.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos stated that Eritrean forces had advanced up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) into Tigray, accusing Eritrea of violating Ethiopian sovereignty.

Ethiopian drone strikes reportedly targeted Eritrean forces in the Tigrayan town of Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday. According to US-based conflict monitor Acled, "Eritrean troops and ammunition" in Adigrat were hit by "multiple drone strikes" overnight. One resident told AFP news agency that "there were many, many drone strikes" and that some Eritrean lorries were destroyed. Another witness reported that Eritrean forces appeared to be retreating north following the strikes.

The letter to the UN Security Council, dated October 8, urged understanding, support, and solidarity from member states during this period of self-defense for Ethiopia. Eritrea, however, has blamed Ethiopia's leaders for the current conflict, accusing them of seeking a pretext to seize Eritrean territory. In a statement on X, Eritrea's information minister called these accusations "duplicity in their most extreme forms," asserting that Ethiopia is "openly working to bring about regime change in Eritrea by providing shelter and support to certain mercenaries who claim to be opposition."

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, but diplomatic ties were only normalized in 2018, shortly after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed assumed power. The current unrest follows months of heightened tensions and the formation of a new alliance of armed groups in Ethiopia, including the TPLF, in September. Last week, TPLF forces withdrew from Mekelle, the main city in Tigray and located 115 kilometers (71 miles) south of Adigrat, which is now under army control.