Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties after Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats on October 1, 2026. The diplomatic rupture follows a major escalation in northern Ethiopia, where heavy fighting between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front has killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands. Tensions peaked after an overnight explosion, suspected to be an opposition drone strike, targeted the military headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Severance of diplomatic relations
- ▪The Eritrean Foreign Ministry responded on October 1, 2026, by reciprocating Ethiopia's expulsion of 10 Eritrean diplomats and severing all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia
- ▪The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry announced on October 1, 2026, that it would close its embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, and expelled 10 unnamed Eritrean diplomats, giving them 48 hours to leave
Attack on Addis Ababa military headquarters
- ▪The Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service banned all drone flights over Addis Ababa on September 30, 2026
- ▪An overnight explosion occurred at the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area of Addis Ababa on September 30, 2026
- ▪An opposition alliance source stated that the TPLF-led alliance carried out several drone strikes targeting the military headquarters in Addis Ababa on September 30, 2026
Renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia
- ▪The renewed fighting between Ethiopian forces and the TPLF in northern Ethiopia has killed hundreds of people and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes, particularly in the Afar region
- ▪The pro-government Tigray Peace Forces militia and the Ethiopian National Defence Force captured the Tigrayan town of Maychew and the Afar town of Erebti by October 1, 2026
- ▪Heavy fighting resumed in northern Ethiopia during the week of September 21, 2026, between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, marking the largest escalation since the 2020-2022 civil war
History of Ethiopia-Eritrea relations
- ▪Eritrea was not a party to the November 2022 peace deal that ended the 2020-2022 Ethiopian civil war, and relations soured as Eritrea feared landlocked Ethiopia intended to invade to secure Red Sea port access
- ▪Ethiopia and Eritrea previously fought side by side against the Tigray People's Liberation Front during the 2020-2022 Ethiopian civil war, which killed an estimated 600 000 people
Allegations of Eritrean support for rebels
- ▪The chief administrator of the Afar region, Haji Awol Arba, stated that Eritrean soldiers crossed into Afar to join the Tigray People's Liberation Front-led alliance offensive
- ▪Ethiopia accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front, an accusation all three countries deny
Debatable claims
- ▪The opposition alliance's drone strikes on Addis Ababa are a legitimate military tactic
- ▪Eritrea bears primary responsibility for the collapse of relations with Ethiopia
- ▪Ethiopia's pursuit of Red Sea access is the main driver of regional instability
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