The Ethiopian army has advanced to border towns on the side of Eritrea. Two African neighbors that declared hostilities to have ended eight years ago are now blaming each other for military aggression and have repeatedly addressed the United Nations Security Council. The ongoing dispute over the Red Sea entrance point between the two countries has also intensified due to the escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia.
According to a report by Reuters on October 13th, Ethiopian government forces have entered the border town of Zalambessa in the northern Tigray region. This town borders Eritrea and was previously under control of Tigray rebel forces.
Members of the "Tigrinya Peace Forces" affiliated with the Ethiopian government are patrolling social media in Merer, the capital of Tigray.
According to records from the non-profit research organization ACLED, which tracks global armed conflicts, on October 12th, the Ethiopian Defense Forces and their ally, the Teferi Peace Forces, took control of Zalanbesa and the nearby town of Fatsi. The Teferi forces, who were originally stationed there, retreated to other areas. From the evening of the 12th to the 13th, witnesses observed a large number of Ethiopian military tanks and heavy equipment moving towards Zalanbesa from Adigrat.
According to reports from local residents and conflict monitors, Eritrean troops had previously assisted the Tigrinian armed forces in this area. However, at the time of reporting, it was unclear whether Eritrean troops are still stationed in Zalanbesa.
On October 13th, the American research organization ‘Key Threats Project’ released a map of the war situation in northern Ethiopia. The map shows the main directions of advance by Ethiopian government forces and their allies in the Tegheerra region.
According to a report by Reuters on October 9th, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothywos, in a letter dated October 8th, accused Eritrea of launching a ‘full-scale invasion’ into northern Ethiopia. He stated that Eritrean forces had penetrated as deep as 60 kilometers into Ethiopian territory and were supporting anti-government armed groups in places like Tegla.
This letter is addressed to French Foreign Minister Barrot. Senior officials of the ETA indicated to Reuters that the letter has also been sent to other members of the United Nations Security Council.
The Isae side invoked Article 50 of the United Nations Charter, indicating its right to take self-defense actions.
Eritrea denies the allegations. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh subsequently called on the Security Council to condemn Ethiopia and take measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to prevent another war from breaking out. Eritrea also accused Ethiopia of having long tried to gain access to the Red Sea through military means.
On October 14th, the Eritrean Ministry of Information published a document distributed to members of the Security Council. The document listed speeches made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and several high-ranking officers in recent years regarding the Red Sea. It accused Ethiopia of continuously applying military pressure on Eritrea under the pretext of seeking “sovereign access to the sea”.
Assab Port is located on the coast of the Red Sea in southern Eritrea. It has long been responsible for Ethiopian foreign trade transportation. For Ethiopia, which has lost its coastline for over 30 years, Assab holds significant economic and historical importance.
In 1993, after a long period of independence wars, Eritrea officially separated from Ethiopia. The Red Sea ports previously used by Ethiopia, such as Assab and Massawa, became part of Eritrea's territory, and Ethiopia became an inland country.
Port Asab X
After that, Ethiopia gradually shifted its international trade to relying on the Port of Djibouti. Data released by the World Bank in 2023 showed that, in terms of cargo volume, more than 95% of Ethiopia’s imports and exports rely on the transportation corridor that connects the capital Addis Ababa with the Port of Djibouti.
Ethiopia has a population of over 130 million, making it the country with the largest population among inland nations in the world. With the development of the manufacturing industry and an increase in import demands, the government hopes to find more ports and transportation routes to reduce its dependence on Djibouti.
