Ethiopia and Eritrea have broken diplomatic ties, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of backing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a rebel group that launched a major assault against government forces last week. This development raises fears of a return to the devastating 2020-2022 civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people.
The Ethiopian government has expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats, citing a direct threat to national security, and will shut its embassy in Asmara. Eritrea's foreign ministry responded by severing all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia. The two countries have a history of conflict, including a brutal border war from 1998 to 2000, and recent tensions over a mega dam being built by Ethiopia on the River Nile.
The conflict in northern Ethiopia has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries since heavy fighting resumed last week. The TPLF, which dominates the state of Tigray, launched attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states, fighting alongside local militias. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is set to be sworn in for a new term on Monday, faces conflict on multiple fronts as several armed groups have formed an alliance against him.
Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and ties improved when Abiy came to power in 2018. However, relations deteriorated sharply as Eritrea voiced fears that landlocked Ethiopia intended to invade and seize access to the Red Sea. The Eritrean foreign ministry accused Ethiopia of pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility against Eritrea for three years.
An overnight explosion at the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters in Addis Ababa raised fears that the army's conflict with rebel groups had reached the capital. Diplomatic and security sources confirmed the blast, but its cause and responsibility remain unknown. The National Intelligence and Security Services ordered a ban on all drone flights around the capital on Wednesday.
On the frontlines of the internal fighting in northern Ethiopia, there are signs that the Tigrayan rebels are being pushed back. A humanitarian source reported that the TPLF had been dislodged from the town of Erebti in Afar, and was now fighting near the mountainous border between Afar and Tigray. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders registered over 420 wounded at hospitals in Tigray by September 25.
The humanitarian situation is dire, with tens of thousands estimated to have fled their homes in Afar. The conflict has also affected relations between Ethiopia and other countries, including Egypt, which has built closer ties with Eritrea in recent months. Ethiopia also expelled an Egyptian diplomat without giving a reason.
Key points
- Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties amid ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia.
- The conflict has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, and tens of thousands have fled their homes.
- The situation has raised fears of a return to the devastating 2020-2022 civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people.
