Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of preparing for war, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations over access to the Red Sea.
In a letter dated October 2 to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos alleged that Eritrea was working with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), an armed opposition group based in northern Ethiopia.
The letter further accused Eritrea and the TPLF of “funding, mobilizing, and directing armed groups” in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, where federal forces have been battling local insurgents.
Eritrea has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have deteriorated in recent months, rekindling memories of their bloody border war from 1998 to 2000, which claimed tens of thousands of lives. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, taking control of the entire Red Sea coastline.
Although Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed helped normalize ties after taking office in 2018, tensions have resurfaced as Ethiopia pushes to regain access to the Red Sea for strategic trade purposes.
In his letter, Gedion stated that Ethiopia still hopes to resolve the matter peacefully through negotiations with Eritrea’s government.
