Ethiopia has formally told the UN Security Council it is taking measures in self-defense against Eritrea, accusing its neighbor of sending troops across the border and occupying parts of northern Ethiopia.
In a letter shared with news agencies on Friday and addressed to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos invoked Ethiopia's right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. "The all-out invasion of parts of northern Ethiopia by Eritrea is a matter of public record," the letter said. "It is a blatant act of aggression that engages Ethiopia's inherent right to self-defence."
The letter alleged that Eritrean forces had advanced up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) into Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Ethiopia did not specify what self-defense measures it was taking, and the Associated Press reported that it could not independently verify the allegations.
Reported cross-border movements
Civilian witnesses, a militia commander and the conflict monitoring group ACLED reported military vehicles carrying soldiers crossing Eritrea's southern border into Tigray on Wednesday, reaching the town of Adigrat, about 40 km south of the frontier. Residents described convoys of 20 to 60 trucks moving from the border town of Zalambessa through Adigrat toward Edaga Hamus.
Eritrean officials have not explicitly confirmed or denied the reported crossings. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Eritrea was "not in the business of refuting wild allegations or narratives."
Drone strikes near Adigrat
ACLED reported that Ethiopian military drones targeted Eritrean soldiers, military vehicles and ammunition near Adigrat on the evening of October 7 and the morning of October 8, as the troops were withdrawing from positions near the town. An Adigrat resident told Reuters they heard repeated explosions overnight from several kilometres outside the town.
No casualty figures have been confirmed by either side.
Eritrea's counter-claims
Yemane accused Ethiopia of pursuing "an unprovoked war of aggression against Eritrea for more than three years," writing on X that Addis Ababa had "tried to repackage this war agenda in terms of 'self-defence' by fabricating various allegations against Eritrea."
He said Ethiopia was using the current conflict to take Assab, an Eritrean port, in order to restore access to the Red Sea. Eritrea also denied Ethiopia's claim that it is backing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), part of an alliance of seven armed groups fighting the federal government since September.
Diplomatic ties severed
The escalation follows the collapse of diplomatic relations. Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country last week; Eritrea responded by announcing it was severing ties.
Tensions have been fueled by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's repeated insistence that landlocked Ethiopia must have access to the Red Sea, which Eritrea views as a threat to its sovereignty over Assab. Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said it remained committed to dialogue with its neighbors.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday he was "gravely concerned by the renewed fighting" and urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately and return to the 2022 Pretoria Agreement.
What is confirmed, and what is not
Confirmed: Ethiopia's Article 51 notification to the Security Council; the severing of diplomatic ties; ACLED and witness reports of Eritrean convoys inside Tigray and Ethiopian drone strikes near Adigrat on October 7–8.
Unknown: The full scale and purpose of the Eritrean deployment, whether units have withdrawn or regrouped, casualty figures, and the specific self-defense measures Ethiopia intends. The AP and BBC have not independently verified the troop movements, and Ethiopia's letter did not provide evidence for its allegations.
Awaited: Independent verification of the border crossings, any further Security Council response, and whether either side accepts mediation.