- Published
Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations as renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raises fears of a wider regional conflict.
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fighting → publish → conflict
On Thursday, Ethiopia announced that it was closing its embassy in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, accusing them of activities that threatened national security.
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that → announce → security
Eritrea responded by cutting diplomatic relations, saying Ethiopia's decision had left it with no choice but to take reciprocal action.
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decision → respond → action
The diplomatic confrontation came hours after powerful explosions were heard overnight in Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, including near Ethiopia's military headquarters.
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explosions → come → headquarters
It follows a sharp deterioration in relations between the neighbours, with Addis Ababa accusing Eritrea of supporting an alliance of armed groups fighting the Ethiopian government – an allegation Asmara has repeatedly denied.
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Asmara → follow → government
Ethiopia said it was expelling 10 Eritrean diplomats who "pose a direct threat to Ethiopia's national security" and would shut its embassy in Asmara.
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who → say → Asmara
In response, Eritrea announced on late Thursday that it was severing diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, describing Addis Ababa's decision as "astounding".
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it → announce → decision
Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia," its foreign ministry said, warning of "negative corollaries" from the decision.
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ministry → have → decision
The diplomatic fallout comes as Ethiopian federal forces battle fighters from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies across parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara.
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forces → come → Tigray
The latest hostilities are the most serious since a peace agreement ended the devastating Tigray war in 2022.
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agreement → end → 2022
An African Union mediator previously estimated that about 600,000 people died during that two-year conflict.
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people → estimate → conflict
Last month, the TPLF joined six other armed movements, including the Fano militia from Amhara, to form an alliance whose stated objective is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from power.
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objective → join → power
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of helping the alliance.
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Ethiopia → accuse → alliance
A pro-government militia commander fighting in Tigray also told the BBC that Eritrean soldiers had been involved on the front lines.
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soldiers → fight → lines
The BBC has not independently verified the allegation.
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BBC → verify → allegation
But in a rare interview with the BBC before diplomatic relations were severed, Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected the accusations.
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Gebremeskel → sever → accusations
He told BBC Tigrinya that Ethiopia's governing Prosperity Party was blaming neighbouring countries to divert attention from conflicts and other problems within Ethiopia.
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Party → tell → Ethiopia
The two countries were allies during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, when Eritrean troops fought alongside Ethiopian federal forces against the TPLF.
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troops → fight → TPLF
But relations have deteriorated significantly since then, particularly over Ethiopia's push for direct access to the Red Sea.
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relations → deteriorate → Sea
Asmara accuses Ethiopia of pursuing what it describes as an increasingly hostile policy over the Red Sea.
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it → accuse → Sea
Landlocked Ethiopia lost its coastline when Eritrea became independent in 1993.
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Eritrea → lose → 1993
Abiy has repeatedly argued that access to the sea is essential to Ethiopia's long-term economic and security interests, while Eritrea has accused his government of harbouring ambitions over its ports.
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Eritrea → argue → ports
The latest diplomatic confrontation came hours after loud explosions were heard on Wednesday night in Addis Ababa, close to the headquarters of the intelligence service.
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explosions → come → service
A source linked to the opposition alliance told Reuters news agency that its forces had carried out drone attacks in the capital.
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forces → link → capital
Ethiopian authorities have not confirmed what caused the explosions, and there have been no official reports of casualties or significant damage.
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what → confirm → casualties
Residents in two areas of Addis Ababa separately told the BBC that they heard powerful explosions during the night.
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they → tell → night
One resident near the intelligence headquarters said the blast was loud enough to trigger car alarms.
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blast → say → alarms
The explosions came hours after Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service imposed an indefinite ban on drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas, citing the need to protect senior officials, important infrastructure and public events.
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Service → come → officials
Meanwhile, fighting continues across northern Ethiopia.
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fighting → continue → Ethiopia
Federal forces and their allies appear to have made gains in southern Tigray and are advancing towards Mekelle, the regional capital.
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forces → appear → Mekelle
In Alamata, a doctor told the BBC earlier this week that at least 52 civilians had been killed during three days of intense fighting.
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civilians → tell → fighting
The TPLF has also been fighting in neighbouring Afar, which lies along Ethiopia's crucial transport corridor to Djibouti and the sea.
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which → fight → Djibouti
Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled their homes there.
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thousands → estimate → homes
Both the Ethiopian government and the TPLF accuse the other of starting the latest hostilities.
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government → accuse → hostilities
Tigrayan authorities say their forces were responding to a federal offensive and drone strikes, while Addis Ababa says Tigrayan fighters launched attacks after taking control of federally administered airports in Tigray.
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fighters → say → Tigray
Independent verification remains difficult because journalists have limited access to the conflict areas and communications across much of Tigray have been disrupted.
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communications → remain → Tigray
The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels, warning against actions that could further destabilise the region.
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that → urge → region
The UN has also warned that the deteriorating security situation is severely disrupting humanitarian work in northern Ethiopia.
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situation → warn → Ethiopia
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said drone activity and air strikes were putting civilians, vital infrastructure and aid operations at risk, while insecurity and road closures were restricting humanitarian movements.
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insecurity → say → movements
The UN has called on all sides to guarantee safe and unhindered access to people in need.
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UN → call → need
The Aporia
