Ethiopia and Eritrea edge closer to direct conflict as troops enter Tigray
Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have escalated as Eritrean troops entered the Tigray region, prompting drone strikes from Ethiopian forces. The situation threatens to reignite a broader conflict between the two nations following Ethiopia's recent efforts to retake control of the region.
Why it matters
The movement of foreign troops into sovereign territory risks a major regional war in the Horn of Africa, with significant humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.
Eritrean troops have crossed into <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/ethiopia" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/ethiopia">Ethiopia</a>'s Tigray region and come under fire from Ethiopian drones as they pushed south, a conflict monitor said. It is the clearest sign yet that Ethiopia's <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/06/why-has-war-returned-to-ethiopia/" target="_blank" rel="">renewed</a> internal troubles could spark a war between the two neighbours. Eritrean troops have crossed the border at the town of Zalambessa and headed for the road between Adigrat and Idaga Hamus, said Dr Jalale Getachew Birru, East Africa analyst at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (Acled). “Ethiopian National Defence Forces drones targeted Eritrean troops at Guada as they travelled by vehicle towards Idaga Hamus,” he said. Residents of Adigrat, about 25km south of the border, told Reuters they saw two military vehicles carrying dozens of Eritrean soldiers pass through the town on Wednesday morning. Ethiopia demanded that the troops leave.
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