Ethiopia Fires Back: Eritrean Troops Cross the Border

Fri Oct 09 2026 18:55:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ethiopia warns it will defend itself after reports of Eritrean troops crossing into Tigray – drone strikes and diplomatic fallout follow.

Ethiopia has accused neighboring Eritrea of a full invasion into the northern Tigray region, following local reports that Eritrean soldiers have crossed the border. The Ethiopian foreign minister fired back at the UN Security Council, insisting the attack was a blatant act of aggression that earns Ethiopia the right to self‑defence. Eritrea’s information minister accused Ethiopia of unprovoked aggression and even hinted at regime‑change plans. Drone strikes on the Eritrean contingent in Adigrat have been reported, but no casualties yet. The showdown comes as the two nations, once allies during the civil war, have severed ties over a dispute over a Red Sea port.

Ethiopia has fired back at Eritrea after reports that Eritrean troops crossed the border into the northern Tigray region.

A letter to the UN Security Council called the incursion a blatant act of aggression and signalled Ethiopia’s right to defend itself. The campaign comes after a fresh clash between the Ethiopian army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that reignited a one‑year stalemate.

Eritrea denies supporting the TPLF and has called the accusation an “unprovoked war of aggression.” In return, Eritrea’s minister blamed Ethiopia for seeking to seize its Red Sea port and accused the nation of encouraging opposition mercenaries.

Drone strikes on the Eritrean contingent in the town of Adigrat hit vehicles and ammunition but no deaths have been confirmed. Witnesses described widespread missile‑like blasts, whereas some accounts suggest Eritrean forces are withdrawing northward.

The conflict echoes a recent severing of diplomatic ties between the two neighbours over a contentious port deal, underscoring a once‑strong alliance that now frays over territorial ambitions.

With Tigray’s main city Mekelle having fallen back under Ethiopian control, the stakes of this border clash remain high, as any escalation could spark a wider regional war.

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