Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties as Tigray conflict escalates

Key Points:

• Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic relations amid escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia, with Ethiopia closing its embassy in Asmara and expelling 10 Eritrean diplomats over alleged threats to national security.
• Eritrea responded by cutting diplomatic ties, condemning Ethiopia's actions as "astounding" and warning of negative consequences, as tensions rise following accusations that Eritrea supports armed groups opposing the Ethiopian government.
• The conflict involves Ethiopian federal forces fighting the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied militias across Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions, marking the most serious hostilities since the 2022 peace agreement ended the previous Tigray war.
• Explosions were reported in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, near military and intelligence headquarters, coinciding with a ban on drone flights over the city, while both sides accuse each other of initiating recent attacks amid restricted access for independent verification.
• The African Union and United Nations have called for restraint and diplomatic solutions, highlighting that ongoing violence and insecurity are severely disrupting humanitarian efforts and risking further regional destabilization.