Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos claims Eritrean troops crossed into Ethiopian territory, while Asmara dismisses the accusation as a pretext for conflict
Borkena Desk
TORONTO, Canada — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written a letter to the UN Security Council regarding an alleged Eritrean invasion of Ethiopian territory in the Tigray region.
Gedion Timotheos, the Minister, claimed that “Eritrean troops crossed the border to Ethiopia and that Ethiopia has no option but to defend itself.”
The letter followed reports from several media outlets citing residents who stated that multiple trucks carrying Eritrean troops were seen in Adigrat. Critics within the Ethiopian opposition, particularly in the Diaspora, note that Eritrean troops have been in the Tigray region since being invited by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the 2020–2022 war against TPLF forces.
Eritrea maintains that the Ethiopian accusation is a “pretext” to invade its territory. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has repeatedly asserted that Ethiopia requires access to the Red Sea for security and economic reasons. Government officials, including the Prime Minister and select military leaders, have signaled the possibility of a military conflict with Eritrea over sea access—particularly regarding Assab, located about 60 kilometers from the Ethiopian border—should diplomatic efforts fail. Eritrea maintains that Assab is its sovereign territory.
In his letter to the UN Security Council, Gedion Timotheos cited “Eritrea’s repeated acts of provocation and incursions across the border” and urged the Council to give the matter due attention, according to a BBC Amharic report.
Furthermore, he stated that Eritrea has escalated its aggression against Ethiopia, claiming the neighboring state has deployed mechanized army units deep into the Tigray region.
He emphasized that Ethiopia is left with no option except defending itself against what he described as “aggression.”
Meanwhile, sources in Tigray report that the Ethiopian Defense Force carried out drone strikes targeting trucks carrying Eritrean troops in the Adigrat area on Thursday. Eritrean forces reportedly suffered severe losses, though the reports remain independently unverified. Eritrea has not commented on the incident or confirmed the presence of its forces in Ethiopian territory.
The Ethiopian Defense Force has assumed control of several cities in the region, largely without facing serious military resistance. However, the Defense Force declined to share updates regarding the status of its military operations in Tigray and recent developments.
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