Ethiopia warns Eritrea it will defend itself after troops cross border

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of launching an "all-out invasion" of its Tigray region and warned it will defend itself, days after residents told the BBC that Eritrean troops had crossed the border. In a letter to the UN Security Council, Ethiopia’s foreign minister described the incursion as a "blatant enactment of aggression that engages Ethiopia's inherent close to self-defence", citing reported strikes on Eritrean forces inside Tigray. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel countered, saying his country faces "an unprovoked warfare of aggression" from Ethiopia. Fighting between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) erupted roughly two weeks ago. Both sides accuse each other of violating a 2022 agreement that ended the earlier civil war; Ethiopia claims Eritrea backs the TPLF, which Eritrea denies. During the two‑year civil war, Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopian forces against the TPLF. Relations have since deteriorated, largely due to the Ethiopian prime minister’s push to assume control of one of Eritrea’s Red Sea ports, leading to the severing of diplomatic ties last week. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos said Eritrean troops had advanced up to 60km (37 miles) into Tigray. Ethiopian drone strikes reportedly hit Eritrean positions in the Tigrayan town of Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday, raising fears of a broader conflict. The US‑based monitoring group ACLED reported that "Eritrean troops and ammunition" in Adigrat were struck by "multiple drone strikes" overnight. One resident told AFP’s bureau that "there were many, galore drone strikes", adding that several Eritrean lorries had been destroyed. Another witness said Eritrean forces appeared to be retreating northward after the Read the full story at BBC News →