Ethiopian military forces, backed by local militias, have entered the strategic northern city of Adigrat, located just 30 kilometers from the Eritrean border. The move follows the withdrawal of Eritrean forces from the area after armed clashes and drone strikes, according to Reuters.
Ethiopia claims that Eritrean soldiers penetrated as far as 60 kilometers into the Tigray region in recent days. Eritrea categorically denies the allegations and accuses Ethiopia of fabricating justifications for a war of aggression.
Residents in Adigrat reported seeing soldiers and military vehicles in the city streets. In the days leading up to the Ethiopian takeover, loud explosions were heard in the area, and according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the Ethiopian military carried out drone strikes against Eritrean forces.
Parallel to the military developments, Eritrea's foreign minister has appealed to the UN Security Council, demanding condemnation of Ethiopia and deterrent measures against it. Ethiopia, for its part, maintains it is acting in self-defense following the incursion of foreign forces into its territory.
Behind the confrontation lies an ongoing dispute over access to the Red Sea. Ethiopia, which lost its sea access following Eritrea's independence in 1993, views maritime access as a vital national interest. Eritrea fears these ambitions could lead to an Ethiopian attempt to seize territory under its control.
The current flare-up raises particular concern given the region's bloody history. The two nations signed a peace agreement in 2018, but relations deteriorated again after the civil war in Tigray from 2020 to 2022, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
As of this report, the alleged Eritrean incursion has not been independently verified by Reuters. Nevertheless, developments on the ground and the mutual accusations raise real fears of another major conflict in the Horn of Africa.
