By Fasika Tadesse | Updated on Oct 09, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Ethiopia says it has been left with no choice but to defend itself after an alleged incursion by troops from neighboring Eritrea.
In a letter to the United Nations’ Security Council, Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Gedion Timothewos said Eritrea has deployed troops and mechanized units 60 kilometers (37 miles) into his nation’s territory.
“It is a blatant act of aggression that engages Ethiopia’s inherent right to self-defense,” Gedion said. “Eritrea is the aggressor, Ethiopia is the victim. Eritrea is violating Ethiopia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Eritrean troops have a long history of fighting within Ethiopia’s borders, given the two nation’s shared history. Most recently, they fought alongside Ethiopian federal troops against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in a two-year civil war that ended in 2022 and were accused of grave human-rights abuses.
Read More: Why Renewed Conflict in Ethiopia Poses a Global Risk: Explainer ·
This time around, Ethiopia is accusing its neighbors of supporting armed groups including the TPLF, which rules the northern Tigray region. A key source of tension between the two nations has been Ethiopia’s insistence on gaining direct access to the Red Sea, which it lost when Eritrea gained independence in 1993.
Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this week, he denied any incursion and instead accused Ethiopia of “incessantly beating the drums of war.”
“In recent weeks, it has tried to re-package this war agenda in terms of ‘self-defense’ by fabricating various allegations against Eritrea,” he said.
Sign up here for the daily Next Africa newsletter and subscribe to the Next Africa podcast on Apple , Spotify or anywhere you listen .