Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties as northern conflict escalates

Story By Staff Reporter

Ethiopia and Eritrea have ended their diplomatic relationship. Fresh fighting in northern Ethiopia is raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

Embassies close after diplomats are expelled

On Thursday, Ethiopia said it was shutting its embassy in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital. It gave 10 Eritrean diplomats 48 hours to leave. Addis Ababa accused them of activities that threatened national security.

Eritrea retaliated by cutting ties altogether. It said Ethiopia’s move left it no alternative but to respond in kind.

Eritrea called the expulsion of its ambassador “astounding”. Its foreign ministry said it had “no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia”. It also warned of “negative corollaries”.

Explosions in Addis Ababa and a militia claim near Mekelle

The rupture came hours after powerful explosions rocked Addis Ababa overnight, including near Ethiopia’s military headquarters.

Separately, a pro-government militia says it has captured the town of Milazat. The town lies about 20km (12 miles) south-east of Mekelle, the Tigrayan capital. The main anti-government group is based there. The BBC could not confirm the claim.

Relations between the two neighbours have worsened sharply in recent months. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing a new rebel alliance. Asmara has repeatedly denied this.

Egypt also expels a diplomat

Ethiopia also ordered an Egyptian diplomat to leave within 48 hours, according to state media. The government has not said why.

Egypt responded by telling an Ethiopian embassy official to leave within the same period, the state-affiliated Al Qahera News reported.

Ties between Ethiopia and Egypt have been tense for years. The main cause is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a huge hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile. Egypt relies heavily on the Nile for its water. It has long feared the dam will cut its share.

A sharp reversal from the 2018 peace

The break marks a dramatic turnaround from 2018. That year, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed restored relations with Asmara after two decades of hostility. The border reopened to joyous scenes, and families separated for years reunited. The thaw helped win Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

The current violence is the worst since a peace deal ended the Tigray war in 2022. An African Union mediator estimated that about 600,000 people died in that two-year conflict.

Last month, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) joined six other armed groups, including the Fano militia from Amhara. The alliance says it aims to remove Abiy’s government from power.

Fighting spreads across the north

Ethiopian federal forces are battling the TPLF and its allies in parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara.

Federal forces and their allies appear to have gained ground in southern Tigray. They are advancing towards Mekelle. A doctor in Alamata told the BBC earlier this week that fighting killed at least 52 civilians over three days.

The TPLF is also fighting in Afar. The region lies along Ethiopia’s crucial transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea. Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes there.

Each side blames the other for starting the latest round. Tigrayan authorities say their forces responded to a federal offensive and drone strikes. Addis Ababa says Tigrayan fighters attacked after seizing federally administered airports in Tigray.

Allegations of Eritrean involvement

A pro-government militia commander in Tigray told the BBC that Eritrean soldiers were fighting on the front lines. The BBC has not verified this.

Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, gave a rare response to the BBC before ties were cut. He denied any involvement in the fighting in neighbouring Tigray. He told BBC Tigrinya that Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party blames other countries to distract from its domestic problems.

The BBC cannot report from inside Tigray. Authorities have cut internet and phone lines, which makes reliable information hard to find. It is unclear who cut them.

Why relations soured

The two countries fought as allies in the 2020-2022 Tigray war. Eritrean troops joined federal forces against the TPLF. Relations have deteriorated significantly since then. The main flashpoint is Ethiopia’s push for direct access to the Red Sea.

Ethiopia lost its coastline when Eritrea became independent in 1993. Abiy has repeatedly said sea access is vital to Ethiopia’s economic and security future. Eritrea accuses his government of eyeing its ports.

International calls for restraint

The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to show restraint. It wants them to settle their differences through diplomacy. It warned against steps that could further destabilise the region.

The UN says the worsening security situation is badly disrupting aid work in northern Ethiopia. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said drone activity and air strikes endanger civilians, vital infrastructure and aid operations. He added that insecurity and road closures restrict the movement of aid teams.

The UN has called on all sides to guarantee safe, unhindered access to people in need.