Ethiopia warns Eritrea it will defend itself after troops cross border

ByHafsa Khalil and Kaleb Moges, BBC Africa. 9 October 2026, 14: 31 BST.

Key points

• When Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, but ties were only normalised in 2018.
• Accusing Eritrea of violating its sovereignty, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos remarked Eritrean forces had advanced up to 60km (37 miles) into Tigray.
• Fighting broke out two weeks ago between the administration and the party that controls Tigray, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
• Ethiopian drone strikes reportedly targeted Eritrean forces in the Tigrayan town of Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday, against the backdrop of fears of a wider regional war.
• Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel responded by saying it was facing "an unprovoked war of aggression" from its neighbour.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of an "all-out invasion" of its northern Tigray region and cautioned it will defend itself, days after residents informed the BBC Eritrean troops had crossed into the country.

In a letter sent to the UN Security Council and seen by the BBC, Ethiopia's foreign minister called it a "blatant act of aggression that engages Ethiopia's inherent right to self-defence".

Both blame each other for violating a 2022 accord that concluded a civil war. Ethiopia notes Eritrea is backing the TPLF. It it denies.

During the two-year civil war, Eritrea was a key ally of the Ethiopian administration, having fought alongside them against the TPLF.

But relations between the two neighbours have since deteriorated – largely over the Ethiopian prime minister's ambition to take ownership of one of Eritrea's Red Sea ports – leading to the severing of diplomatic ties last week.

US-based conflict monitor Acled remarked "Eritrean troops and ammunition" in Adigrat were hit by "multiple drone strikes" overnight.

One resident informed AFP news agency "there were many, many drone strikes", and that some Eritrean lorries had been destroyed.

Another witness remarked Eritrean forces appeared to be retreating north after the strikes, AFP noted.

There have so far been no verified reports of casualties. The BBC is unable to report from Tigray.

Dated 8 October, Ethiopia's letter to UN Security Council members read: "In this time of difficulty, when Ethiopia is left with no other option but to defend itself, we count on your understanding, support, and solidarity."

But while Ethiopia accuses its neighbour of supporting the TPLF, Eritrea has blamed the conflict on Ethiopia's leaders, and accused them looking for a reason to seize Eritrean territory.

On Friday, Eritrea's information minister called the accusations levelled against Asmara as "duplicity in their most extreme forms".

In a post on X, he remarked Ethiopia was "openly working to bring about regime change in Eritrea by providing shelter and support to certain mercenaries who claim to be opposition".

This latest unrest follows months of tension and the launch of new alliance of armed groups in Ethiopia – including the TPLF – in September.

Last week, TPLF forces withdrew from Tigray's main city of Mekelle. It is 115km (71 miles) south of Adigrat and is now under army control. How fresh fighting in Tigray could spark wider conflict in Ethiopia.

For context, the young women who fought in Ethiopia's last civil war and don't want to see another one. Why are Ethiopia's rebels joining forces?

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

Taken together, the developments around ethiopia warns Eritrea it will defend itself after troops cross border point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.