In short
- Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security.
- Eritrea’s foreign ministry said it had no option but to sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia and warned of “negative corollaries” from the decision.
- An African Union mediator estimated that about 600,000 people died during the two-year Tigray war that ended with a peace agreement in 2022.
- The Tigray People’s Liberation Front joined six other armed movements last month to form an alliance whose stated objective is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government from power.
- A doctor in Alamata told the BBC that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting.
Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations on Thursday after Ethiopia closed its embassy in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security. Eritrea said it had no option but to reciprocate and cut all ties.
What did each side announce?
Ethiopia’s government announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and gave 10 Eritrean diplomats 48 hours to leave, saying their activities threatened national security. Eritrea’s foreign ministry called the expulsion of its ambassador “astounding” and said: “Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.” The ministry warned of “negative corollaries” from the decision.
Why did relations collapse?
Relations between the neighbours had deteriorated sharply before the expulsions. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supporting a new rebel alliance, an allegation Asmara has repeatedly denied. The diplomatic confrontation came hours after powerful explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa, including near Ethiopia’s military headquarters.
What is happening in northern Ethiopia?
Ethiopian federal forces are battling fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies across parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara. Federal forces and their allies appear to have made gains in southern Tigray and are advancing 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. Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes in Afar. The BBC is unable to report from Tigray and the internet has been cut there.
Who is fighting, and who is accused of joining in?
Last month the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, in the alliance of seven Ethiopian rebel groups formed last month, whose stated objective is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government from power. Both the Ethiopian government and the TPLF accuse the other of starting the latest hostilities.
A pro-government militia commander fighting in Tigray told the BBC that Eritrean soldiers had been involved on the front lines. The BBC has not independently verified the allegation. Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel denied that his country was involved in the fighting in Tigray, which borders Eritrea, and told BBC Tigrinya that Ethiopia’s governing Prosperity Party was blaming neighbouring countries to divert attention from conflicts and other problems inside Ethiopia.
What has the African Union said?
The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels, warning against actions that could further destabilise the region. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said drone activity and air strikes were putting civilians, vital infrastructure and aid operations at risk, while insecurity and road closures were restricting humanitarian movements. The UN has called on all sides to guarantee safe and unhindered access to people in need.
What happened to the 2018 rapprochement?
The severing of ties reverses the 2018 opening, when Abiy restored relations with Eritrea after two decades of hostility, the border reopened and families separated for years were reunited. The rapprochement helped earn the Ethiopian prime minister the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. The two countries were allies during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, when Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian federal forces against the TPLF. Relations later deteriorated, particularly over Ethiopia’s push for direct access to the Red Sea. Ethiopia lost its coastline when Eritrea became independent in 1993.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties?
Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security. Eritrea said it had no option but to sever all diplomatic ties in response.
When did Ethiopia and Eritrea restore relations before this rupture?
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed restored relations with Eritrea in 2018 after two decades of hostility, a rapprochement that helped earn him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
How many people have been affected by the fighting in northern Ethiopia?
A doctor in Alamata told the BBC that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting, and tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes in Afar.
What has the African Union said about the escalation?
The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels, warning against actions that could further destabilise the region.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)