-Expels Diplomats as War Escalates in the North
ADDIS ABABA — The Ethiopian government announced on Wednesday that it is closing its embassy in Asmara and expelling ten Eritrean diplomats, marking a dramatic collapse in relations between the neighboring states as fighting intensifies in Ethiopia’s northern regions.
In a press statement released Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia declared ten Eritrean diplomats in Addis Ababa persona non grata. The government accused the diplomats of engaging in activities that pose a “direct threat to Ethiopia’s national security” and violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The diplomats were given 48 hours to leave the country. The ministry cited “direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia” as the reason for the closure of its embassy in Asmara. The statement reiterated Ethiopia’s value of “strong historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties”.
It warned the Eritrean government to cease actions “contrary to the principles governing relations between sovereign states.” The diplomatic rupture comes amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in northern Ethiopia, where federal forces are battling a coalition of armed opposition groups.
Liberia maintains a diplomatic presence in Addis Ababa, primarily through its mission to the African Union. As of press time, no official information has been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia as to whether Liberian personnel on foreign mission in Ethiopia have been affected by the escalating security situation.
Explosions Rock Capital
International media reported overnight explosions in Addis Ababa, the capital, which has been placed under a ban on drone flying. Three diplomatic sources told Reuters that the blasts were heard late Thursday.
A source linked to the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating the alliance had carried out several drone attacks in the capital, including some targeting the military’s headquarters.
The alliance, which seeks to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, unites seven armed groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and factions from the Amhara, Afar, Somali, and Benishangul-Gumuz regions.
The conflict has expanded beyond Tigray into the neighboring Afar region. Al Jazeera’s Muhammed Taha Tawakel reported from Afar on Wednesday that fighting has moved deep into Tigray as government forces advance north, reaching within approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) of Mekelle, the regional capital.
Government forces claim to have recaptured the towns of Erebti and Abaala near the Tigray border, though these claims remain unconfirmed. Tawakel reported that mediation efforts to persuade forces controlling the towns to withdraw have failed, leaving the fate of more than 80,000 trapped Afar residents uncertain.
Ahmed Hussein, Afar’s deputy governor, told Al Jazeera that Ethiopia had come under an “unprecedented attack” intended to undermine the regional administration. He accused Asmara of involvement, calling on Eritrea to withdraw from Afar territory and holding it responsible for civilian safety—accusations that align with the federal government’s hardening stance against Eritrea.
Risk of Wider War
The fighting has reached areas along Ethiopia’s borders with Eritrea and Sudan, increasing the risk of a regionalized conflict. Analysts warn that the escalation threatens food security if routes between Ethiopia and Djibouti—a vital trade corridor—are disrupted.
Despite the escalating military and diplomatic crisis, Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry stated it remains committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and working with countries in the Horn of Africa to advance lasting peace and security.
