Ethiopia has for the first time formally acknowledged Eritrean military involvement in the 2020–2022 Tigray war, as tensions between the neighbouring states intensify amid reports of renewed fighting.
Addressing parliament, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused Eritrean forces of committing mass killings during joint operations against Tigray regional forces. The war is estimated to have caused over 400,000 deaths before a 2022 peace agreement halted major hostilities.
Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, rejected the allegations, describing them as false. Both governments have since exchanged accusations of preparing for renewed conflict, including claims of arming rebel groups and disputes over Red Sea access.
“The rift did not begin with the Red Sea issue, as many people think,” Ahmed told parliamentarians. “It started in the first round of the war in Tigray, when the Eritrean army followed us into Shire and began demolishing houses, massacred our youth in Axum, looted factories in Adwa, and uprooted our factories.”
He added: “The Red Sea and Ethiopia cannot remain separated forever.”
Key developments:
• Ethiopia lost sovereign Red Sea access after Eritrea’s 1993 independence following decades of guerrilla warfare.
• Eritrea alleges Ethiopia is pursuing a long-term military agenda.
• Analysts warn of potential alliances between Eritrea and Tigray regional actors.
• Recent fighting has disrupted flights and heightened regional instability.
ℹ️ AP News
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