Ethiopia has ordered the closure of its embassy in Eritrea, leading to Asmara severing all diplomatic ties with its neighbour. This move comes after Addis Ababa declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata and gave them 48 hours to leave the country. Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel stated that by expelling all Eritrean diplomats from Ethiopia, the government was effectively closing its embassy in Addis Ababa.
The diplomatic tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have escalated amid renewed conflict fears in northern Ethiopia. Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said it had decided to close its Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, in response to Eritrea's "direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia". The move has sparked concerns that the fighting could spiral into a wider regional conflict.
The clashes mark the biggest escalation of fighting in Ethiopia since the end of a 2020-2022 civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Eritrea had fought in support of Ethiopia's federal government in that conflict. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that has battled troops loyal to Ethiopia's federal government since last week.
The opposition alliance has carried out several drone strikes in Addis Ababa, including some that targeted the military's headquarters. If confirmed, it would be the first known drone attack by anti-government forces on Addis Ababa. Three diplomatic sources confirmed the blasts, but witnesses said there was no damage visible near the military base.
Ethiopia's government also declared an Egyptian diplomat persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours. Egypt's state-affiliated Al Qahera News reported that Cairo had responded in kind by declaring an Ethiopian embassy counsellor in Egypt persona non grata and giving him 48 hours to leave.
The chief administrator of the northern Afar region, Haji Awol Arba, told Al Jazeera that Eritrean soldiers had crossed into Afar to join the opposition alliance's offensive. Eritrea's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal troops and allied militiamen made fresh gains in Tigray and Afar, a pro-government militia said.
The national intelligence service has banned drones over Addis Ababa amid growing evidence that opposition forces may possess some drone capability. The opposition's ability to strike Addis Ababa would be "a political game-changer", undermining any government narrative that the capital is unaffected by the war.
Key points
- Ethiopia orders closure of its embassy in Eritrea, prompting Asmara to sever diplomatic ties.
- Diplomatic tensions escalate amid renewed conflict fears in northern Ethiopia.
- Opposition alliance carries out drone strikes in Addis Ababa, targeting military headquarters.
