As conflict continues to mount in the Eastern region of Africa between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and M23 rebels, another situation in the Horn of Africa, between Ethiopia and Eritrea seems to be getting tense.
- Tensions are escalating in East Africa between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
- Ethiopia and Eritrea have a history of armed conflict from 1998 to 2000 known as the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
- The division of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has caused internal conflict in Ethiopia and a potential alliance with Eritrea.
Disputes in the East Africa, despite calls for peace, might escalate even further, given the supposed squabble between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Recent reports indicate that longtime rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea may be headed for another war.
Between 1998 and 2000, Ethiopia and Eritrea engaged in a major armed conflict that has come to be known as the Eritrean–Ethiopian War or Badme War.
Unfortunately, an official in a restive Ethiopian region has warned that this ugly incident could repeat itself.
“At any moment, war between Ethiopia and Eritrea could break out,” General Tsadkan Gebretensae, a vice president in the interim administration in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, wrote in Africa-focused magazine the Africa Report on Monday.
The possible conflict stems from the division of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) last year into two factions, one that currently governs Tigray with the approval of Ethiopia’s federal government and another that opposes it.
A war in Ethiopia, the Tigray war
The Ethiopia- Tigray war was a devastating conflict erupted in November 2020 between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which previously dominated the country’s politics.
The fighting quickly escalated, drawing in Eritrean forces and militia groups. Both sides were accused of committing atrocities, including mass killings, sexual violence, and starvation as a weapon of war.
After two years of intense fighting, a peace agreement was signed in November 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa, leading to a ceasefire and the gradual reintegration of Tigray into Ethiopia’s federal system. However, tensions remain, and internal divisions within the TPLF, as well as broader ethnic and political rivalries in Ethiopia, continue to pose risks of renewed conflict.
Brewing tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea
On Tuesday, the breakaway faction, which Tsadkan claimed was attempting to ally with Eritrea, took control of the northern town of Adigrat, as reported by Reuters.
In response, Getachew Reda, the leader of Tigray’s interim administration, requested government assistance against the dissidents, who deny any connection to Eritrea.
“There is clear antagonism between Ethiopia and Eritrea,” Getachew told the press.
“What concerns me is that the Tigray people may once again become victims of a war they don’t believe in,” he added.
While Ethiopia is yet to put up an official statement concerning the perceived hostilities, and Eritrea’s information minister dismissed Tsadkan’s warnings as “war-mongering psychosis,” there are certain events that appear to be a cause for concern.
For starters, as seen on the Reuters report, two diplomatic sources who asked to remain anonymous told the publication that this month, Ethiopia deployed troops toward the Eritrean border.
Additionally, Human Rights Concern-Eritrea, a UK-based organization, claims that in mid-February, Eritrea ordered a widespread military mobilization.
