Ethiopia and Eritrea accuse each other of starting an all-out war after Eritrean troops advanced up to 60km into the Tigray region. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos appealed to the UN Security Council regarding the invasion, while Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel claimed Asmara faces unprovoked aggression over Ethiopia's desire to seize the port of Assab. Tensions escalated with Ethiopian drone strikes hitting Eritrean positions in Adigrat and both nations cutting diplomatic ties.
Ethiopian allegations of Eritrean invasion
- ▪Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos sent a letter dated October 8, 2026 to the UN Security Council accusing Eritrea of an all-out invasion of northern Ethiopia's Tigray region and asserting Ethiopia's right to self-defence
- ▪Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos stated that Eritrean troops advanced up to 60 kilometres into Ethiopia's northern Tigray region and demanded their full withdrawal
Eritrea's response and countercharges
- ▪Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected Ethiopia's accusations, stating on October 9, 2026 that Eritrea is facing an unprovoked war of aggression from Ethiopia
- ▪Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel denied Ethiopia's claims that Eritrea is backing the Tigray People's Liberation Front
- ▪Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel accused Ethiopia of working toward regime change in Eritrea by supporting opposition mercenaries
- ▪Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel accused Addis Ababa of using the current military conflict in Tigray as a pretext to seize the Eritrean port of Assab
Eritrean military presence and strikes in Adigrat
- ▪Witnesses reported seeing Eritrean troops and military supply lorries inside the northern Ethiopian town of Adigrat in October 2026
- ▪Witnesses stated that Eritrean forces appeared to retreat north toward the border following Ethiopian drone strikes in Adigrat
- ▪Conflict monitor ACLED reported that Ethiopian drone strikes hit Eritrean troops, military vehicles and ammunition in the Tigrayan town of Adigrat overnight between October 7 and October 8, 2026
Renewed conflict between Ethiopia and TPLF
- ▪Fighting broke out in late September 2026 between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, with both sides alleging violations of a 2022 peace agreement
- ▪The Ethiopian military seized the Tigrayan capital of Mekelle from Tigray People's Liberation Front forces in October 2026
- ▪Tigray People's Liberation Front rebels lost control of the Tigrayan cities of Shire and Adigrat in October 2026
Dispute over Ethiopian Red Sea access
- ▪Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's ambition to take ownership of an Eritrean Red Sea port contributed to deteriorating relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea
- ▪Landlocked Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea when Eritrea gained independence in 1993, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed asserted in 2023 that Ethiopia has a right to sea access
History of Ethiopia-Eritrea diplomatic relations
- ▪Eritrea fought a border war with Ethiopia for two years in 1998 following its independence in 1993, later allying with the Ethiopian government against the Tigray People's Liberation Front during the 2020-2022 civil war
- ▪Diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea were normalised in 2018 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power
- ▪Eritrea was excluded from a 2022 peace agreement that ended the Tigray civil war, contributing to deteriorating relations with Ethiopia
Debatable claims
- ▪Eritrea's military advance into Tigray constitutes an unlawful invasion of Ethiopia
- ▪Ethiopian drone strikes on Eritrean forces inside Adigrat are a justified act of self-defence
- ▪Ethiopia's ambition for Red Sea access is the primary driver of its conflict with Eritrea
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