Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties as northern conflict escalates

What the report says

Ethiopia and Eritrea have broken off diplomatic relations as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raises concern that the conflict could spread further across the region. According to BBC Africa, Ethiopia said it would close its embassy in Asmara and expel 10 Eritrean diplomats, accusing them of threatening national security. Eritrea then announced it would sever ties in response, saying Addis Ababa had left it no alternative.

The move came amid a sharp escalation in tensions between the two neighbours, including reports of loud explosions in Addis Ababa overnight near key government facilities. Ethiopian authorities did not confirm the cause, and there was no official account of casualties or damage. The BBC also reported that a source linked to an opposition alliance claimed drone attacks were carried out in the capital, though that claim was not independently verified.

The diplomatic split follows renewed combat involving Ethiopian federal forces, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and allied groups across Tigray, Afar and Amhara. The latest clashes are the most serious since the 2022 peace deal that ended the two-year Tigray war. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of backing the armed alliance, an allegation Eritrea denies. The African Union and the UN have urged restraint, warning that the fighting is worsening humanitarian conditions and making aid access more difficult.