Symbolic imageEthiopian drones hit Eritrean troops in Tigray as war fears grow
Ethiopian drones struck Eritrean troops that crossed into Tigray, according to conflict monitor Acled. Observers fear a direct war between the two neighbours.
Military vehicles with Eritrean soldiers crossed the border on Wednesday, 7 October, and reached Adigrat, according to civilian witnesses, a militia commander and Acled. Acled says Ethiopian government drones hit them that evening and again on Thursday morning. One witness told AFP that Eritrean lorries were destroyed. Ethiopia's communication minister demanded that all foreign forces withdraw immediately. Eritrea's information minister accused Addis Ababa of building a false "self-defence" narrative to justify aggression, but did not explicitly confirm or deny the troop presence.
Why Eritrea is moving
Acled analyst Jalale Getachew Birru says Eritrea is suspected of backing the Alliance for Survival, a coalition including the TPLF, and wants a buffer zone in Tigray hostile to Addis Ababa. The commander of the pro-government Tigray Peace Force makes a similar argument: Eritrea wants the fighting to stay inside Tigray rather than spill into its own territory.
Diplomatic ties severed
Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara last Thursday and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats, and Eritrea responded by cutting ties. The US urged both sides to show "maximum restraint", while Ethiopia insists its Red Sea interests must be part of any regional security talks.
Other opinions
Telesur reports Thursday's parliamentary approval of Abiy Ahmed's cabinet and mentions Tigray only as a challenge, without the drone strikes. On Mekelle, The Guardian says an allied militia took it, while The National says federal forces retook it.