Eritrean troops have reportedly entered Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, raising fears that renewed fighting between Ethiopian forces and Tigrayan rebels could trigger a broader regional conflict.
Local officials and residents told AFP on Wednesday that Eritrean soldiers had deployed around Adigrat, about 115 kilometres north of Tigray’s regional capital, Mekelle, and were moving south with heavy weapons.
The development comes after fighting erupted on September 23 between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Ethiopian federal forces, reviving fears of a return to the devastating 2020–2022 civil war.
Ethiopian forces, backed by local militias, recently pushed back the TPLF and entered Mekelle after rebel fighters withdrew from the city.
A commander of the Tigray Peace Force, Gebreigziabher Beyene, said Eritrean troops had entered Tigray in uniform and with heavy weaponry. He claimed the forces were being targeted by drones and suggested Eritrea wanted the fighting contained within Tigray rather than spilling across its border.
Residents in Adigrat also reported seeing Eritrean soldiers travelling south in large trucks and patrol vehicles.
A local official, speaking anonymously, said the presence of the troops had left residents “very concerned.”
The renewed military activity comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The two countries fought a border war from 1998 to 2000 before relations improved in 2018.
Eritrea later fought alongside Ethiopian forces during the 2020–2022 Tigray war against the TPLF, but tensions have since resurfaced.
Earlier this month, Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea announced that it would sever diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.
Analysts fear the latest developments could increase the risk of a direct confrontation between the two countries, particularly if TPLF fighters are pushed towards Eritrean territory.
