Witnesses report Eritrean troops inside northern Ethiopia as tensions flare

Witnesses have reported seeing Eritrean soldiers inside the northern Ethiopian town of Adigrat, in a development that could deepen already strained relations between the two neighbours. The accounts, if confirmed, would mark the first reported sighting of Eritrean forces inside Ethiopia since fighting resumed in the wider border region. Adigrat is about 25km south of the Eritrean border and lies in a sensitive area of Tigray.

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At least two witnesses told Reuters they saw dozens of Eritrean soldiers travelling through the town in two trucks on Wednesday. They said the troops were wearing off-white camouflage uniforms, which they used to identify them as Eritrean. Another resident, who was not in town at the time, said family members had also reported seeing Eritrean troops.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the accounts, and the reports have not been confirmed by Ethiopian or Eritrean officials. The reported sighting comes days after Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic ties. Eritrea said it was responding to Ethiopia's decision to close its embassy in Asmara and expel 10 Eritrean diplomats.

Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Meskel, did not deny that troops had crossed the border, but accused Ethiopia of creating a false self-defence narrative to justify what he called a war of aggression. Ethiopian officials have accused Eritrea, along with Egypt and Sudan, of backing an armed alliance fighting the federal government, allegations all three countries have denied. The reports matter because the border area has long been one of the most volatile parts of the Horn of Africa.

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Any confirmed movement of Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia would raise the risk of a wider confrontation at a time when fighting has already resumed between Ethiopian forces and a seven-group armed alliance that includes the Tigray People's Liberation Front. The Tigray region has been central to previous rounds of conflict, and the presence of outside forces there would add another layer of complexity to an already fragile security situation. There have also been earlier claims of Eritrean involvement beyond Adigrat.

Last week, the chief administrator in Ethiopia's northeastern Afar region said Eritrean troops were fighting there, although that claim was not independently confirmed. Gebreigziabher Beyene, commander of the Tigray Peace Force, said Eritrean forces had entered Tigray in uniform and with heavy weaponry, and alleged they were being struck by drones. Those statements point to a broader pattern of accusations and counter-accusations around the conflict, but the exact scale and location of any Eritrean deployment remain unclear.

What remains uncertain is whether the reported troop movements in Adigrat reflect a temporary crossing, a larger deployment, or a misidentification by witnesses. It is also not clear how far the fighting has spread or whether the diplomatic rupture will lead to further military escalation. For now, the key questions are whether either government will provide clearer evidence, and whether the reported presence of Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia can be independently verified.

#Ethiopia #Eritrea #Adigrat #Tigray #bordertensions

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