Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of Troop Incursion Into Tigray

By Staff, Agencies

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of deploying troops deep into its territory and warned that it may have to defend itself against an “all-out invasion,” escalating tensions between the two former allies.

Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos alleged that Eritrean forces, including mechanized units, had advanced as far as 60 kilometers into Tigray.

In an October 8 letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, circulated to other UN Security Council members, Gedion described the alleged incursion as a “blatant act of aggression” and called for international support for Ethiopia’s right to self-defense.

Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said Gedion also briefed UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on what it described as Eritrea’s “continued aggression,” demanding the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces and a “clear and principled UN response.”

Ethiopian State Minister Berhanu Tsegaye separately accused Eritrea of direct military involvement “across different fronts along the border” and urged the UN to condemn what Addis Ababa called violations of its sovereignty.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected the allegations, accusing Ethiopia of pursuing a war of aggression for more than three years. He cited statements by Ethiopian officials regarding efforts to secure sovereign access to the Red Sea and control the port of Assab.

The escalation comes amid fears that renewed fighting involving federal forces and Tigrayan fighters could plunge northern Ethiopia back into war.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which joined six other armed groups in an alliance seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, declared a “defensive war” last month and seized airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire before Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to the region.

The government-allied Tigray Peace Force later announced that it had retaken Mekelle after the TPLF withdrew, while the group said it had “temporarily” left the city to operate from another location while continuing military operations.

Conflict monitor ACLED reported suspected Ethiopian drone strikes against Eritrean forces near Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday, while residents reported continued explosions overnight into Friday.

Ethiopia has also accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting the rebel alliance, allegations all three countries have rejected.

Last week, Addis Ababa expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara, prompting Eritrea to sever diplomatic ties. Eritrean troops had previously supported Ethiopia’s federal forces during the 2020–2022 Tigray war, which ended with the Pretoria peace agreement.