Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of Border Incursions, Cites Self-Defense

Ethiopia informed the United Nations Security Council on Friday that it is undertaking self-defense measures against Eritrea, accusing its neighbor of deploying troops across the border and occupying parts of northern Ethiopia. The declaration intensifies concerns of a broader conflict, as government-allied forces report advancements in the Tigray region.

In a letter dated Friday, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos invoked Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, asserting Ethiopia's right to self-defense. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, alleged that Eritrea has deployed infantry and mechanized units in recent weeks and has provided support, financing, arming, and direction to insurgent groups. The specific areas occupied were not identified, and no evidence was provided to substantiate the claims. Gedion stated that Ethiopia had repeatedly urged Eritrea to withdraw its forces.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel, responding on X, accused Ethiopia of pursuing aggression through its demands for sovereign access to the Red Sea. He did not explicitly confirm or deny the reported troop crossings. Last week, Eritrea announced the severance of diplomatic ties following Ethiopia's expulsion of 10 Eritrean diplomats and the closure of its embassy in Asmara.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated on Monday that Ethiopia requires access to the Red Sea. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed its commitment to dialogue with its neighbors.

These accusations exacerbate a rift between the two nations, whose armies previously collaborated against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) from 2020 to 2022. That conflict resulted in an estimated 500,000 civilian deaths in Tigray due to violence, famine, and the collapse of health services, according to researchers at Ghent University.

Government-allied forces reportedly captured Idaga Hamus early Friday and Abiy-Adi in the Tembien area on Thursday afternoon, according to Ermiyas Ababu, a commander of the government-allied Tigray Peace Force. Residents also reported the takeover of Idaga Hamus, with Gebremedhin Kihishen, a business owner in Tembien, stating that government-allied forces controlled Abiy-Adi. It remains unclear who held these towns immediately prior to the reported government advance or if Eritrean troops were involved in the fighting.

Ermiyas had previously reported Eritrean personnel entering Adigrat on Tuesday and Idaga Hamus on Wednesday, citing reports from his personnel. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) monitoring group independently reported that Eritrean troops crossed at Zelambesa on Wednesday and came under drone attack while moving toward Idaga Hamus, attributing the strikes to Ethiopia’s military.

Fighting escalated in late September, undermining a 2022 peace agreement. The TPLF joined six other opposition groups last month in an alliance aiming to oust Abiy. The rebels seized Tigray's capital, Mekelle, and its airport in October, before announcing their withdrawal on Oct. 3, after which government-allied fighters entered the city.

In Mekelle on Friday, federal police called for residents via loudspeakers to assist in establishing a new administration. Government offices remained closed, and no administration had taken office by Friday morning. The Tigray Peace Force imposed an overnight curfew on Wednesday.

The U.S. Embassy reported Thursday that telecommunications had resumed in Mekelle and much of Tigray, with partial restoration of mobile banking and electricity, though all services remained subject to interruption.

During the previous war, Eritrean soldiers were accused of killings, rape, and looting. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki dismissed allegations of abuses by his forces as a "fantasy" in 2023.