Ethiopia and Eritrea Sever Diplomatic Ties as Northern Fighting Escalates
publishers 34articles 53first reported 1 Oct, 16:00 UTCdeveloping since 1 Oct · 9 editions
Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations on Thursday amid escalating fighting in northern Ethiopia and reports of drone strikes and explosions in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia said it would close its embassy in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours, accusing them of activities threatening national security. Eritrea responded by ending diplomatic ties, saying Ethiopia’s action left it “no option but to reciprocate in kind.”
The rupture follows a sharp deterioration in relations between the neighbours. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of supporting an alliance of armed groups fighting the federal government, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Eritrea denies the allegation and has accused Ethiopia of hostility, including over access to the Red Sea.
Ethiopian federal forces are battling opposition fighters across parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara in the most serious hostilities since a 2022 peace agreement ended the two-year Tigray war. The BBC reported that a pro-government militia commander alleged Eritrean soldiers were involved on the front lines, but said it could not independently verify the claim.
Powerful explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa, including near military headquarters, the BBC reported, while The Wall Street Journal described the incidents as drone strikes.
The diplomatic dispute has also widened to Egypt: Cairo ordered an Ethiopian embassy counsellor to leave within 48 hours after Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat. The African Union urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to avoid actions that could undermine regional stability.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 34
- Source articles
- 53
- Given to the writer
- 8, 2 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 6
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
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