Eritrea and Ethiopia Appeal to UN Security Council Amid Tigray Escalation

Eritrea appealed to the UN Security Council, calling on the international community to take deterrent measures to protect it from Ethiopia, which it accuses of declaring war. This appeal came a day after Ethiopia also approached the Security Council, accusing Eritrea of invading its territory in the Tigray region, where civil war has resumed with Tigrayan rebels.

Escalation in the Horn of Africa

Although Asmara officially denies invading Tigray, several international media outlets reported that eyewitnesses confirmed Eritrean forces entered parts of the region. According to Reuters, these forces were forced to retreat following drone strikes. The growing tension between the two neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa raises serious concerns that the civil war within Ethiopia could escalate into a broader regional conflict.

Eritrea is Ethiopia's historical rival. It was previously a province within Ethiopia and Addis Ababa's only access route to the sea. After decades of fighting for independence, Eritrea became a separate nation in 1993. A bloody war was fought between the two from 1998 to 2000, and a peace agreement was reached only in 2018 under the leadership of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Eritrea has appealed to the UN Security Council to strongly condemn Ethiopia's abhorrent declaration of war and to take necessary deterrent measures.

Accusations and Humanitarian Crisis

Ethiopia accused Eritrea of deploying infantry and mechanized units up to 60 kilometers deep into northern Tigray, as well as supporting, financing, and arming the rebels. Meanwhile, the Tigrayan humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate amid severe shortages of food and medical supplies, leaving thousands of civilians facing a dire crisis.