Ethiopia and Eritrea sever diplomatic ties as Tigray fighting intensifies

Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations as fighting in northern Ethiopia raises fears of a return to the devastating Tigray war.

Addis Ababa accused Eritrea of supporting the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which has launched attacks into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions. Ethiopia said it would expel 10 Eritrean diplomats and close its embassy in Asmara.

Eritrea responded that it had “no option” but to reciprocate and cut diplomatic ties.

Hundreds have reportedly been killed or wounded since fighting resumed last week, while aid groups say thousands have been displaced. Doctors Without Borders says more than 700 wounded people have been treated at hospitals in several parts of Tigray.

The crisis is also raising broader regional tensions. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a border war between 1998 and 2000, before relations improved under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018.

Meanwhile, an explosion at the Ethiopian military headquarters in Addis Ababa has heightened concerns that the conflict could be spreading toward the capital. The cause and any casualties remain unclear.

On the frontlines, government-aligned forces say they have retaken several towns from Tigrayan fighters, although independent verification remains difficult because of restricted access and communications disruptions.