Ethiopia and Eritrea cut their diplomatic relations on Thursday. This action came after Ethiopia accused Eritrea of interfering in the recent conflicts in the Tigray region.
Closure of Ethiopia's Embassy in Eritrea
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the first entity to announce that it would close its embassy in Eritrea due to "Eritrea's hostile and warlike actions against Ethiopia." This embassy had been reopened in 2018 after the improvement of relations between the two countries and following Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Expulsion of Eritrean Diplomats
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that it has declared ten Eritrean diplomats "undesirable" and accused them of "participating in activities that pose a direct threat to Ethiopia's national security." These diplomats were given 48 hours to leave the country.
Hours later, the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs called this action "irrational" and stated that the expulsion of ten Eritrean diplomats from Addis Ababa effectively closed its embassy in Ethiopia. Eritrea further stated that "for this reason, it has no option but to completely sever diplomatic relations with Ethiopia" and that this action will have many negative consequences.
Explosion at Ethiopian Military Headquarters
These developments come following reports of an explosion last night at the Ethiopian military headquarters in Addis Ababa. AFP reported that the explosion occurred between midnight and 1 AM local time at the headquarters of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF). Diplomatic and security sources have not provided further information about the nature of the explosion or its responsibility, and it is unclear whether there were any casualties.
Associated Press, citing security sources, reported that three separate explosions occurred and that this event took place after the government had announced a ban on the use of drones in the capital.
Claim of Eritrea's Support for Armed Coalition
Eritrea has denied allegations of supporting an armed coalition that includes the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the Fano National Movement, and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which are currently fighting against Ethiopian government forces. This coalition is known as the "Coalition for Survival."
Since the resumption of intense fighting in northern Ethiopia last week, hundreds have been killed and injured. The fighting continues and is occurring on several fronts. The United Nations has called for a de-escalation of tensions and dialogue between the government and the new coalition.
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