Ethiopia and Eritrea sever relations amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raises fears that conflict could spread across the region. Ethiopia ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours and said it would close its embassy in Asmara, accusing the diplomats of threatening national security; Eritrea responded by cutting relations.
Fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its allies has resumed across parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara, with more than 50 people reportedly killed since last week. The clashes are the most serious since the 2022 peace agreement ended a devastating two-year war, in which an African Union mediator estimated about 600,000 people died. Ethiopia alleges Eritrea is supporting the armed alliance, but Asmara denies involvement; explosions were also heard near military and intelligence sites in Addis Ababa, with their cause unconfirmed.
- Ethiopia and Eritrea have cut diplomatic ties.
- Renewed northern fighting has killed more than 50 people.
- Eritrea denies backing the alliance fighting Ethiopia’s government.
New here? Start with this
Ethiopia is a large country in the Horn of Africa that has experienced prolonged conflict. Its northern regions are home to various ethnic and political groups, some of which have taken up arms, and tensions between federal government forces and these groups remain high.
Between 2020 and 2022, Ethiopia experienced a devastating war that killed an estimated 600,000 people and displaced millions more. A peace agreement was signed in 2022, but many underlying grievances went unresolved, and armed clashes have now restarted in several northern regions.
Eritrea, Ethiopia's neighbour to the north, has a history of involvement in Ethiopian conflicts and maintains complicated relationships with various political and military factions. The country's role in current events is significant because external involvement by neighbouring states can intensify conflicts and threaten broader regional stability.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC World as “Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties as northern conflict escalates”.