Ethiopia and Eritrea Cut Diplomatic Ties Amid Renewed Fighting

Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia fuels concerns that the conflict could spread across the wider Horn of Africa.

Ethiopia announced on Thursday that it was closing its embassy in Asmara and ordering 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. Addis Ababa accused the diplomats of activities that posed a threat to Ethiopia’s national security.

Eritrea responded by cutting diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, saying Addis Ababa’s decision left it with no alternative but to take reciprocal measures.

The diplomatic rupture came only hours after powerful explosions were reported overnight in Addis Ababa, including in areas close to Ethiopia’s military and intelligence headquarters.

Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing armed groups

Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated sharply as Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supporting an alliance of armed groups fighting the federal government.

Addis Ababa said the 10 Eritrean diplomats being expelled “pose a direct threat to Ethiopia’s national security” and confirmed that its embassy in Asmara would be closed.

Eritrea called the decision “astounding” and said it had been forced to respond.

“Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia,” the Eritrean Foreign Ministry said, warning of “negative corollaries” arising from the move.

The diplomatic crisis comes as Ethiopian federal forces fight members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied groups across parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara.

The latest fighting is the most serious since the peace agreement that ended the devastating Tigray war in 2022. An African Union mediator previously estimated that around 600,000 people were killed during the two-year conflict.

Last month, the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, to form an alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government from power.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the alliance.

A pro-government militia commander fighting in Tigray also told the BBC that Eritrean troops had participated on the front lines. The BBC said it had not independently verified the allegation.

Eritrea rejects Ethiopia’s accusations

Before diplomatic relations were severed, Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected Ethiopia’s accusations in an interview with BBC Tigrinya.

He accused Ethiopia’s governing Prosperity Party of blaming neighbouring countries in an attempt to divert attention from internal conflicts and other problems.

The two countries were allies during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, when Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian federal forces against the TPLF.

Relations have since deteriorated, particularly over Ethiopia’s efforts to secure direct access to the Red Sea.

Asmara has accused Addis Ababa of pursuing what it considers an increasingly hostile policy over the Red Sea.

Ethiopia became landlocked after Eritrea gained independence in 1993.

Abiy has repeatedly argued that access to the sea is essential to Ethiopia’s long-term economic and security interests. Eritrea, however, has accused his government of harbouring ambitions concerning its ports.

Explosions reported in Addis Ababa

The diplomatic confrontation followed reports of explosions in Addis Ababa on Wednesday night, including near the headquarters of Ethiopia’s intelligence service.

A source linked to the opposition alliance told Reuters that its forces had carried out drone attacks in the capital.

Ethiopian authorities have not confirmed what caused the explosions, and there have been no official reports of casualties or significant damage.

Two residents in separate areas of Addis Ababa told the BBC they heard powerful blasts during the night. One resident near the intelligence headquarters said an explosion was loud enough to set off car alarms.

The explosions occurred hours after Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service imposed an indefinite ban on drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas.

Officials cited the need to protect senior government figures, critical infrastructure and public events.

Fighting continues across northern Ethiopia

Meanwhile, fighting continues in northern Ethiopia.

Federal forces and their allies appear to have advanced in southern Tigray and are moving towards Mekelle, the regional capital.

In Alamata, a doctor told the BBC earlier this week that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting.

The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, which contains a key transport corridor connecting Ethiopia with Djibouti and the Red Sea.

Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes in the region.

Both the Ethiopian government and the TPLF accuse the other side of starting the latest hostilities.

Tigrayan authorities say their forces were responding to a federal offensive and drone strikes. Addis Ababa says Tigrayan fighters initiated the fighting after taking control of airports in Tigray that had been under federal administration.

Independent verification remains difficult because journalists have limited access to affected areas and communications across much of Tigray have been disrupted.

Regional and UN concern grows

The African Union has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their disputes through diplomatic channels, warning that further escalation could destabilise the region.

The United Nations has also warned that the deteriorating security situation is severely affecting humanitarian operations in northern Ethiopia.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said drone activity and air strikes were putting civilians, critical infrastructure and aid operations at risk.

Insecurity and road closures have also restricted humanitarian movements.

The UN has called on all parties to guarantee safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need.