Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties after Addis Ababa closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country, marking a sharp deterioration in relations between the Horn of Africa neighbors.

Ethiopia accused the Eritrean diplomats of activities it said threatened national security, prompting Asmara to cut diplomatic relations in response.

Eritrea said Ethiopia’s decision left it with “no option” but to reciprocate and rejected allegations that it was supporting armed groups fighting the Ethiopian federal government.

Tigray fighting fuels Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions

The diplomatic rupture comes amid renewed fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied armed groups across Tigray, Afar and Amhara.

The clashes represent the most serious escalation since the 2020–2022 Tigray war, which ended with a peace agreement in November 2022.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the TPLF. All three countries have denied the allegations.

Former allies face growing rift

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought on the same side during the previous Tigray war, but relations between the two countries deteriorated following the conflict.

Tensions have grown further over Ethiopia’s push to secure access to the Red Sea, an issue that has become a major source of regional friction.

African Union calls for restraint

The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise maximum restraint and resolve their differences through diplomatic channels.

Meanwhile, the renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia has disrupted communications, banking services and humanitarian operations across parts of the region.