Ethiopia and Eritrea accuse each other of starting conflict after troops cross border

What exactly happened, and what does Ethiopia claim Eritrea did versus what Eritrea claims Ethiopia did?

Fighting erupted in Tigray between Ethiopia’s government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF. Ethiopia now accuses Eritrea of an “all-out invasion” and says Eritrean forces violated its sovereignty by entering Tigray. Eritrea rejects that account and says Ethiopia began an unprovoked war of aggression.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos said Eritrean troops had advanced as far as 60km into Tigray. Ethiopia also reported strikes against Eritrean troops. A US-based conflict monitor said multiple drone strikes hit Eritrean troops and ammunition in Adigrat overnight. Witnesses reported many strikes and destroyed Eritrean lorries.

There are no verified casualty reports, and the BBC cannot report directly from Tigray. Ethiopia has appealed to the UN Security Council, saying it must defend itself. Eritrea instead accuses Ethiopia of seeking regime change and trying to seize Eritrean territory.

What is the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and why does control of Tigray matter to Ethiopia and Eritrea?

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, is the political party that controls Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. It is fighting Ethiopia’s federal government, which says the TPLF violated the 2022 deal that ended the civil war. The TPLF makes the opposite accusation. Its role makes Tigray central to Ethiopia’s struggle over national authority.

Tigray also borders Eritrea. During the two-year civil war, Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia’s government against the TPLF. Ethiopia now says Eritrea is backing the TPLF, although Eritrea denies it. That alleged connection turns a domestic conflict into a possible confrontation between neighbouring states.

Control of Tigray therefore matters beyond local administration. Last week, TPLF forces withdrew from Mekelle, the regional capital, which is now under army control. Eritrean forces reportedly entered the region, and Ethiopian drone strikes followed. Continued fighting could draw both countries deeper into the conflict.

How far did Eritrean forces reportedly advance, how many drone strikes were reported, and what is known about casualties?

The reported scale is significant because Eritrean forces allegedly moved deep into Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos said they advanced up to 60km, or 37 miles. That claim is part of Ethiopia’s argument that Eritrea violated its sovereignty and launched an invasion.

The reported response came through drone strikes in Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday. The conflict monitor Acled said Eritrean troops and ammunition were hit by multiple drone strikes overnight. One resident told AFP there were “many drone strikes,” while another said Eritrean forces appeared to be retreating north. Some Eritrean lorries were reportedly destroyed.

The article does not give a confirmed number of strikes beyond “multiple.” It also reports no verified casualties. The BBC cannot report from Tigray, so accounts remain difficult to independently confirm. The strikes nevertheless raise fears that the conflict could widen across the region.

How did Ethiopia and Eritrea go from wartime allies to diplomatic enemies, including over access to Eritrea's Red Sea ports?

Ethiopia and Eritrea were wartime allies during the two-year civil war. Eritrea backed Ethiopia’s government and fought against the TPLF, their shared adversary. That cooperation followed the normalisation of relations in 2018, when Abiy Ahmed became Ethiopia’s prime minister. Their earlier hostility had eased, but the partnership did not last.

The article links the later breakdown largely to Abiy’s ambition to take ownership of one of Eritrea’s Red Sea ports. Ethiopia’s interest in port access created a major dispute with Eritrea, which viewed the issue as connected to its territory and sovereignty. The neighbours’ relationship deteriorated as tensions grew.

The diplomatic rupture came last week, before the latest fighting and accusations. Ethiopia now says Eritrea supports the TPLF and has sent forces into Tigray. Eritrea denies that support and accuses Ethiopia of seeking territory and regime change. Former allies are therefore confronting each other indirectly and directly.

Who are the main armed and political actors in this conflict, and what does each appear to want?

Ethiopia’s federal government is fighting to retain control over Tigray and has accused Eritrea of invading its territory. Eritrea is the neighbouring state whose forces Ethiopia says entered Tigray and supported the TPLF. The TPLF is Tigray’s ruling political force and the government’s principal armed opponent in the region.

The key mechanism is the overlap between Ethiopia’s internal conflict and the two countries’ rivalry. Ethiopia says Eritrea backs the TPLF, while Eritrea says Ethiopia is sheltering and supporting alleged opposition mercenaries. Eritrea also accuses Ethiopia’s leaders of looking for a reason to seize Eritrean territory. A new alliance of armed groups, including the TPLF, launched in September.

The article does not state every actor’s formal war aim. It does show competing claims: Ethiopia says it is defending itself and its sovereignty, while Eritrea says it is resisting aggression and alleged regime-change efforts. TPLF forces recently withdrew from Mekelle, now held by Ethiopia’s army.

What could happen if the fighting expands beyond Tigray, and why might it lead to a wider regional war?

Expansion beyond Tigray would transform an internal Ethiopian conflict into a broader interstate and regional crisis. Ethiopia and Eritrea are already exchanging accusations of invasion and aggression. Both governments connect the fighting to sovereignty, territory, and political survival. Those claims make compromise harder and raise the stakes of every military move.

The mechanism is already visible. Eritrean forces reportedly entered Tigray, while Ethiopian drones struck Eritrean troops and ammunition in Adigrat. The TPLF is also part of a new alliance of armed groups launched in September. If these forces remain involved, fighting could spread through new fronts or draw in additional armed groups.

The article gives no confirmed forecast or casualty total. It does report fears of a wider regional war. Diplomatic ties were severed last week, and Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of seeking regime change and territory. Continued strikes or advances could therefore deepen the confrontation and make the conflict harder to contain.

What do sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of self-defence mean under international law when one country's troops enter another country's territory?

Sovereignty means a state has authority over its territory and government. Territorial integrity means other states should not seize or militarily enter that territory. If Eritrean troops entered Ethiopia without consent, Ethiopia could describe that as a breach of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The article presents Ethiopia making precisely that accusation.

The UN Charter recognises an inherent right of self-defence if a state suffers an armed attack. Any response must be directed at stopping or repelling the attack and must meet the requirements of necessity and proportionality. A state cannot simply label every disagreement an armed attack. The facts, consent, attribution, and scale of force matter.

Here, Ethiopia claims Eritrea invaded Tigray and says its drone strikes were defensive. Eritrea claims Ethiopia began the aggression. The article does not establish which account is legally correct. Independent verification, evidence about consent and attacks, and assessment by relevant international bodies would be needed.

Key Facts:

📌 Ethiopia calls Eritrea’s alleged intervention an “all-out invasion.”

📌 Eritrea describes Ethiopia’s actions as an “unprovoked war of aggression.”

📌 Eritrea reportedly advanced up to 60km into Tigray.

📌 The TPLF controls Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.

📌 Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia against the TPLF during the civil war.

📌 TPLF forces withdrew from Mekelle, which is now under army control.

📌 Eritrean forces reportedly advanced up to 60km into Tigray.