Eritrean troops have been deployed in recent days around the town of Adigrat in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. A local official and residents confirmed the deployment on Wednesday, following two weeks of internal conflict that has raised fears of a wider regional war. The Ethiopian army has been fighting the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front since September 23.
The conflict has sparked concerns of a return to the devastating civil war of 2020-2022. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing the rebels, while Eritrea has denied these claims. The two countries have a long-standing tense relationship, which deepened last week when they severed diplomatic ties. Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and shut its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea responded by severing all diplomatic ties.
The Ethiopian army has made significant gains in the conflict, pushing back the Tigrayan rebels with the help of local militias. The army entered the regional capital of Mekelle at the weekend without a fight, as the Tigray People's Liberation Front abandoned the city. Multiple sources have confirmed that Eritrean troops are in Adigrat, around 115 kilometres north of Mekelle on the way to the Eritrean border, and are pushing south.
According to Gebreigziabher Beyene, commander of the Tigray Peace Force, the Eritrean army has entered Tigray in uniform, equipped with heavy weaponry. He stated that the Eritrean forces are being struck by drones and are deliberately deploying their forces so that the fighting takes place inside Tigray rather than spilling into Eritrea. This development has raised concerns among the local population, with an Adigrat resident describing the scene as "Eritrean troops, loaded onto large trucks, patrol vehicles and other vehicles, heading south and carrying heavy weaponry".
The conflict has also led to reports of insecurity to the west of Mekelle. An Adwa resident reported that there had been drone strikes over the weekend on hotels in the town, killing several civilians and wounding four others. The situation remains volatile, with fears that the Tigray People's Liberation Front could retreat into Eritrea, giving Ethiopia a pretext to invade.
The relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia has been strained in recent years. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and the two sides fought a brutal border war between 1998 and 2000. Relations improved with the rise of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018, but deteriorated after the 2020-2022 civil war. Eritrea fears that landlocked Ethiopia plans to invade to seize direct access to the Red Sea.
Regional expert Kjetil Tronvoll stated that for Eritrea, it is essential to maintain strategic depth and a buffer zone in northern Tigray, and to meet and fight the Ethiopian army on Tigrayan soil. The deployment of Eritrean troops in the region has raised concerns of a wider conflict, with analysts warning that the situation could escalate further if not addressed.
Key points
- Eritrean troops have deployed in the town of Adigrat in Ethiopia's Tigray region amid ongoing conflict.
- The conflict has sparked concerns of a return to the devastating civil war of 2020-2022.
- The situation remains volatile, with fears of a wider regional war and potential invasion by Ethiopia.
