Ethiopia says it must defend against Eritrea’s ‘all-out invasion’
Ethiopia lost its access to all coastline when Eritrea secured independence in 1993.
Ethiopia has declared that it must defend itself against what it claims was an "all-out invasion" by Eritrean forces, according to a letter addressed to the United Nations shared with Reuters. The letter states that Eritrean forces have advanced up to 60 km (37 miles) into Ethiopia, triggering fears of an outright war in the region.
In response, Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, accused Ethiopia of pursuing an unprovoked war of aggression for over three years. He claims Ethiopia sought to take control of Assab, an Eritrean port, to restore Red Sea access. The information minister denies that Eritrean troops have deployed in Ethiopia.
The two countries have a history of conflict, last fighting from 1998 to 2000. In 2018, they reached a peace agreement that earned Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed the Nobel Peace Prize. However, tensions have flared again, with recent drone strikes believed to have been carried out by Ethiopian forces targeting Eritrean positions near the northern Tigray town of Adigrat. Ethiopia's government has also resumed flights to the regional capital Mekelle, marking further consolidation of its gains in the region.
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