Eritrean Troops Reportedly Cross The Border Into Ethiopia

Eritrean Troops Reportedly Cross the Border into Ethiopia, Raising Fears of Regional War ETHIOPIA/ ERITREA Eritrea and Ethiopia Eritrean troops were seen this week in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, raising fears that renewed fighting in the north could widen into another regional conflict as relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara continue to deteriorate. Ermiyas Ababu, a commander of the pro-government Tigray Peace Force based in the regional capital of Mekelle, told the Associated Press that Eritrean personnel entered the towns of Adigrat and Idaga Hamus earlier this week, adding that they were conducting surveillance. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) said Eritrean troops crossed the border near the town of Zelambesa Wednesday and came under drone attack at Guada while moving toward Idaga Hamus. ACLED said sources identified the troops by their uniforms, vehicles and license plates and attributed the strikes to Ethiopia’s military. Witnesses also reported suspected Ethiopian drone strikes on Eritrean positions. Neither Ethiopia nor Eritrea has publicly commented on the fighting. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Asmara was not in the business of refuting “wild allegations or narratives,” while accusing Ethiopia of jeopardizing regional peace through its pursuit of “sovereign access to the sea.” He did not explicitly confirm or deny that Eritrean troops had crossed the border. The reports follow the resumption of fighting between Ethiopian government forces and an opposition alliance that includes the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF joined six other opposition groups last month in an alliance aimed at ousting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, with fighting escalating late last month and undermining the November 2022 peace agreement that ended a two-year civil war. Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle on Sunday after the TPLF withdrew. The Tigray Peace Force imposed an overnight curfew Wednesday. Government services had yet to resume Thursday and many businesses remained closed. Meanwhile, relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which fought a border war from 1998 to 2000, have also sharply worsened. Ties between the two countries improved when Abiy became prime minister in 2018. Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia during the 2020-2022 Tigray war. However, relations deteriorated over the 2022 peace deal and Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access. Ethiopia has long accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, allegations Eritrea has rejected. Last week, Eritrea severed diplomatic ties after Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara.