Eritrea has severed all diplomatic relations with neighboring Ethiopia, following Addis Ababa's decision to shut its embassy in Asmara and order the expulsion of Eritrean diplomats.
The rupture came after Ethiopia declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata, giving them 48 hours to leave the country over alleged activities threatening national security.
Ethiopia also expelled an Egyptian diplomat, prompting Cairo to respond by expelling an Ethiopian embassy counsellor in a tit-for-tat move.
"Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia with all the negative corollaries that this entails," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea.
Eritrean officials rejected accusations of hostility from Addis Ababa, asserting that Ethiopian authorities have consistently maintained an aggressive stance toward their neighbor.
"In reality, it is Ethiopia which has been pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea.
Conflict Escalation Raises Regional Concerns
Tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations have intensified alongside fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Reports of explosions and alleged opposition drone strikes in Addis Ababa have raised international concerns over a widening regional fallout.
"This increased conflict threatens the entire country and the region as a whole, which is already reeling from the previous war in Northern Ethiopia and the devastating conflict in Sudan.
Ordinary civilians are bearing the brunt of this violence," said Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim McGovern, and John Garamendi, United States Lawmakers.
The recent military developments mark the most severe escalation since the 2020-2022 civil war, with regional leaders accusing Eritrean troops of crossing borders to participate in active offensives.
