OMM Redaksiyası
Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, raising concerns that the conflict could widen across the region, Reuters reported.
Ethiopia said on Thursday it would close its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security. Eritrea later announced it was cutting ties in response, calling Ethiopia’s move “astounding”.
“Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia,” the Eritrean foreign ministry said, warning of “negative corollaries” from the decision.
Accusations over the renewed conflict
The diplomatic dispute comes as Ethiopian federal forces and their allies fight the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied groups in parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara. The current hostilities are the most serious since a 2022 peace agreement ended the devastating Tigray war. An African Union mediator previously estimated that about 600,000 people died during the two-year conflict.
Last month, the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, in an alliance that says its aim is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of backing the alliance, a charge Asmara has repeatedly denied.
A pro-government militia commander told the BBC that Eritrean soldiers had taken part in fighting on the front lines. The BBC said it had not independently verified the claim. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected the accusations in an interview before diplomatic ties were cut, saying Ethiopia’s governing Prosperity Party was blaming neighbouring countries to divert attention from domestic conflicts and other problems.
Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian federal forces against the TPLF during the 2020-2022 war. Relations have since deteriorated, particularly over Ethiopia’s push for direct access to the Red Sea. Eritrea says Ethiopia is pursuing an increasingly hostile policy over the sea and has accused Abiy’s government of harbouring ambitions over its ports. Ethiopia lost its coastline when Eritrea became independent in 1993.
Explosions reported in Addis Ababa
The diplomatic break followed reports of powerful explosions overnight in Addis Ababa, including near the country’s military headquarters. Residents in two areas told the BBC they heard blasts; one resident near the intelligence headquarters said an explosion triggered car alarms.
A source linked to the opposition alliance told Reuters that its forces had carried out drone attacks in the capital. Ethiopian authorities have not confirmed the cause of the explosions, and there have been no official reports of casualties or significant damage.
The explosions came hours after Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service imposed an indefinite ban on drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas, citing the protection of senior officials, key infrastructure and public events.
Fighting and humanitarian concerns
Federal forces and their allies appear to have made gains in southern Tigray and are advancing towards regional capital Mekelle. A doctor in Alamata told the BBC earlier this week that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting.
The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, along a key transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea. Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes there. The Ethiopian government and the TPLF each accuse the other of starting the latest hostilities. Tigrayan authorities say their forces responded to a federal offensive and drone strikes, while Addis Ababa says Tigrayan fighters attacked after taking control of federally administered airports in Tigray.
Independent verification remains difficult because journalists have limited access to conflict areas and communications across much of Tigray have been disrupted.
The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomacy, warning against steps that could further destabilise the region.
The United Nations says deteriorating security is severely disrupting humanitarian work in northern Ethiopia. Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said drone activity and air strikes were putting civilians, vital infrastructure and aid operations at risk, while insecurity and road closures were restricting humanitarian movements. The UN has called on all sides to ensure safe and unhindered access to people in need.
