Addis Abeba — Eritrea has urged the United Nations Security Council to take deterrent measures against Ethiopia, describing Addis Abeba's accusation that Eritrean forces invaded Tigray as a "declaration of war," a day after Ethiopia accused Asmara of aggression and warned it would defend itself.
In a letter to the Security Council on Saturday, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh described Ethiopia's accusation that Eritrean forces had invaded its northern Tigray region as a "declaration of war." He urged the council to condemn Ethiopia and take measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which allows for actions ranging from sanctions to military intervention.
Reuters reported that Eritrea's request followed an Ethiopian letter to Security Council members alleging that Eritrean troops had advanced up to 60 kilometers into Tigray in recent days. Addis Abeba described the reported presence of foreign forces as an act of aggression and said it had been left with no option but to defend itself.
Eritrea has denied that its troops crossed into Ethiopia, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the alleged incursion. Asmara has instead accused Ethiopia of seeking to manufacture a justification for war, while Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel cited Ethiopia's pursuit of sovereign sea access as a source of tension.
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The diplomatic confrontation has coincided with renewed military activity in Tigray. Three residents told Reuters that Ethiopian government forces and allied militia members entered Adigrat on Saturday, days after Eritrean troops reportedly withdrew from positions near the strategic city, about 30 kilometers from the Eritrean border. Reuters also verified a social media video showing militia members allied with the Ethiopian government in the city.
Explosions were reported near Adigrat on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The US-based conflict monitor ACLED said Ethiopia had used drone strikes against Eritrean forces, which subsequently withdrew from positions near the city. These developments have not independently established the full extent of the reported cross-border fighting.
Diplomatic pressure grows as regional stakes rise
The latest exchange comes amid broader instability in northern Ethiopia, where fighting has intensified since 23 September across Tigray, Afar and Amhara, alongside clashes involving federal forces and an alliance of armed groups. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting the alliance, a charge Asmara has denied.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed grave concern over the renewed fighting and reports of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia. He urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately and called on signatories to return to dialogue under the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which ended the two-year war between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Guterres also warned that further escalation could undermine regional stability and reminded states in the region of their obligations under the UN Charter to respect territorial integrity, refrain from the use or threat of force, and avoid interference in one another's internal affairs.
On 9 October, US House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks and Representative Sara Jacobs likewise warned that escalating rhetoric between Ethiopia and Eritrea risked triggering a major military confrontation. They urged both governments to honor the 2018 Jeddah Peace Agreement, halt threats of military action and resolve their differences through diplomacy.
The lawmakers also cautioned that renewed interstate tensions, alongside fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray, Amhara, Afar and Oromia regions, could further destabilize the Horn of Africa and devastate communities on both sides of the border.
The latest appeals follow an earlier warning by six US senators, reported by Addis Standard on 28 September, over what they described as the "unraveling" of the Pretoria Agreement. The senators called on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department to engage the parties urgently and support de-escalation and mediation.
Sea access and unresolved post-war tensions
Ethiopia's pursuit of sea access remains another major point of contention. The country lost its coastline when Eritrea gained independence in 1993, leaving Ethiopia landlocked. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has since characterized access to the sea as a strategic national priority, while insisting that it should be pursued through peaceful means and dialogue.
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Eritrea, however, has portrayed Ethiopia's ambitions as a threat to its sovereignty. The dispute has compounded tensions that resurfaced after the two countries fought alongside each other during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, before their relationship deteriorated toward the end of the conflict.
The current standoff underscores the fragility of relations between the former wartime allies. Although the 2018 peace agreement formally ended decades of hostility, it has not prevented renewed accusations, competing security concerns and growing distrust.
With both governments invoking national sovereignty and self-defense, the risk is that diplomatic accusations and localized military confrontations could develop into a broader conflict. The UN and US calls for restraint highlight the urgency of renewed engagement, but whether Addis Abeba and Asmara will prioritize diplomacy over confrontation remains uncertain.
