The Ethiopian government stated that what it described as a major offensive launched by Eritrean forces into parts of northern Ethiopia compelled it to act in self-defense; meanwhile, mutual accusations have heightened concerns about the outbreak of a new conflict in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedeon Timotiwos stated in a letter to the United Nations that Eritrean forces had advanced up to 60 kilometers into Ethiopian territory. The letter—drafted on Thursday and obtained by Reuters on Friday—characterized Eritrea’s actions as an act of aggression against Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
“The large-scale offensive launched by Eritrea into parts of northern Ethiopia is a well-known fact,” the letter stated, with Addis Ababa asserting its right to self-defense.
For its part, Eritrea claimed to have exercised restraint, despite accusing Ethiopia of waging a war of aggression against the country for more than three years. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel stated that statements by Ethiopian leaders regarding access to the sea reveal hostile intentions toward his country. Yemane accused Ethiopia of seeking to take control of the port of Assab—located on Eritrea’s Red Sea coast—in order to regain the maritime access it lost when Eritrea gained independence in 1993. The Ethiopian government maintains that access to the sea is vital for the country’s economic and security interests, though it has stated that it intends to pursue this goal through dialogue and peaceful means.
Tensions between the two nations escalated after Ethiopia accused Eritrea of supporting an armed opposition alliance fighting within Ethiopia. Meanwhile, reports of explosions in areas near the shared border have heightened fears that the confrontations could erupt into direct warfare.
This dispute arises amidst broader political and security tensions across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. Ethiopia lost its access to the sea when Eritrea became independent in 1993. Although the two countries reached a peace agreement in 2018, relations have since deteriorated, and fresh mutual accusations have raised concerns that the region could once again descend into conflict.