Ethiopia and Eritrea have accused each other of aggression in letters to the UN Security Council, deepening fears of a direct confrontation between the two neighbours as government forces advance through Tigray, in Ethiopia's north.
In a letter shared with news agencies on Friday, Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos described what he called an "all-out invasion" of northern Ethiopia by Eritrea. He said Eritrean troops had advanced up to 60 kilometres into Tigray and that the situation engaged Ethiopia's right of self-defence under the UN Charter. The letter did not say what measures Ethiopia plans to take.
Eritrea rejects the claim. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said on X that Ethiopia has waged "an unprovoked war of aggression" against Eritrea for more than three years. On Saturday, according to a letter seen by Reuters, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh asked the Security Council to condemn Ethiopia's "declaration of war" and take "deterrent measures." Eritrea says the invasion claims are a pretext for an Ethiopian offensive. It also denies Ethiopia's allegation that it is arming and directing the rebel alliance fighting the government.
What is and is not established
Independent accounts partly support Ethiopia's version, but the picture is incomplete. Residents in Adigrat told the BBC and Reuters last week they saw soldiers they identified as Eritrean, and the monitor ACLED reported that Eritrean forces crossed near Zalambessa and were hit by Ethiopian drones. The US-based Critical Threats Project said it could partly corroborate reports of an Eritrean advance and a later withdrawal, but could not fully confirm them. It judged any incursion "likely limited." Reuters and the BBC said they could not independently verify the troop movements.
Some points are disputed. One open-source tracker cited by Critical Threats said Eritrean forces had moved through rebel-held areas to reinforce Tigrayan positions elsewhere, rather than entering Adigrat. Reuters quoted analysts who said it was unclear whether Eritrean troops had pulled back inside Eritrea or only repositioned. There are no verified casualty figures for the drone strikes near Adigrat, the UN said. An Ethiopian official's claim in a television interview that "many Eritrean soldiers have been killed and captured" has not been confirmed.
On Saturday, Reuters reported that Ethiopian troops and allied militia entered Adigrat, about 30 kilometres from the Eritrean border, citing three residents and verified video. The agency could not confirm who controls the city. The Tigray Peace Force, a pro-government group, says it holds the city.
International reaction
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesman, said he was "gravely concerned" by the renewed fighting in Tigray, Afar and Amhara. He urged all parties to cease hostilities and return to dialogue under the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. He also voiced concern about reports of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia, reminded states not to use force against another state's territory, and offered his good offices.
