Story perspectives

Ethiopia Expels Eritrean Diplomats as Tigray Fighting Escalates

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 10:04 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Drone strike hits ministry

Ethiopia and Eritrea accused other of incursions in Tigray and appealed to the UN Security Council in October 2026.
In response, Ethiopia expelled ten Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara.
Ethiopian forces recently recaptured the towns of Adigrat and Mekelle.
Eritrean Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Eritrea showed restraint and called Ethiopia’s sea-access claim a war declaration.
A source said a drone strike hit Ethiopia’s defence ministry headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Left

UN demands ceasefire

Ethiopia and Eritrea accused the other of troop incursions in Tigray and appealed to the UN Security Council in October 2026.
The clash threatens civilians, blocks aid and could widen displacement, leading UN Secretary-General António Guterres to demand a cease-fire and safe humanitarian access.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos invoked Article 51, claiming self-defence against alleged Eritrean incursions.
Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh called Ethiopia’s claim a “declaration of war” and urged condemnation.

History

Historical Context

After Eritrea gained independence in 1993, a disputed border sparked the 1998-2000 war that killed roughly 70,000 people and ended with the December 2000 Algiers Agreement and a UN peacekeeping mission. The 2005 Hague ruling and the 2008 UNMEE withdrawal left the frontier unsettled, despite the 2018 peace declaration, and in October 2026 Ethiopia and Eritrea again traded incursion accusations.

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Drone strike hits ministry

Ethiopia and Eritrea accused other of incursions in Tigray and appealed to the UN Security Council in October 2026.
In response, Ethiopia expelled ten Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara.
Ethiopian forces recently recaptured the towns of Adigrat and Mekelle.
Eritrean Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Eritrea showed restraint and called Ethiopia’s sea-access claim a war declaration.
A source said a drone strike hit Ethiopia’s defence ministry headquarters in Addis Ababa.

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