Eritrea severs diplomatic ties with Ethiopia in row over Tigray

On Thursday, Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations, blaming each other for fomenting internal strife as hostilities persisted in northern Ethiopia. Heightened tensions between the two neighboring nations peaked following intense clashes last week involving Ethiopian forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

The prospect of a recurrence of the deadly 2020-2022 civil war loomed, which resulted in an estimated 600,000 fatalities. Ethiopia accused Eritrea of backing the TPLF, expelling ten Eritrean diplomats deemed a "direct threat to Ethiopia's national security," and closing its embassy in Asmara. Eritrea's foreign ministry countermanded Ethiopia's move by stating it had no choice but to sever diplomatic ties reciprocally.

The conflict has claimed countless lives and caused extensive injuries since renewed fighting broke out in northern Ethiopia last week. The TPLF, controlling the Tigray region, initiated attacks into neighboring Afar and Amhara states, collaborating with local militias. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has yet to address the crisis, is set to be inaugurated for a new term on Monday following his re-election in June.

However, he confronts conflict on numerous fronts as multiple armed factions have united to oppose him. Eritrea attained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and waged a border war from 1998 to 2000. Relations warmed when Abiy took office in 2018, and the two nations even fought together against the Tigrayans during the last civil war.

Yet, relations deteriorated dramatically, with Eritrea expressing concerns that Ethiopia might invade to seize access to the Red Sea. The Eritrean foreign ministry asserted on Thursday that Ethiopia has been pursuing a strategy of continuous hostility against Eritrea for three years, aiming to "acquire sovereign access to the sea" by invading Eritrean ports and coastal areas.

An overnight explosion at the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) headquarters in Addis Ababa's Tor Hayloch area raised concerns about the army's conflict with rebel groups reaching the capital for the first time. Diplomatic and security sources confirmed the blast but withheld details on its origin, perpetrators, or casualties.

An eyewitness to the explosion stated that it was powerful, causing significant panic among nearby residents. No immediate response was provided by the prime minister's office or the army spokesperson. On Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Services imposed a ban on all drone flights over Addis Ababa. Conflict monitor ACLED reported that suspected anti-government alliance-linked drones targeted army and civilian airports in Oromia and Amhara states on Sunday.

On the front lines of the internal fighting in northern Ethiopia, evidence emerged on Thursday that the Tigrayan rebels were being pushed back. A humanitarian source reported that the TPLF had been expelled from the town of Erebti in Afar, which they had seized earlier in the week, and was now engaged near the mountainous border separating Afar and Tigray.

A pro-government militia announced on X that they had recaptured Erebti and the town of Maychew in southern Tigray. Local reports stated that Maychew had endured intense shelling, though verification proved difficult due to media restrictions and significant communication disruptions. The humanitarian source estimated that over 420 individuals were wounded at Korem and Alamata hospitals in Tigray as of September 25, with more than 300 at Shire in western Tigray.