ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government has accused neighboring Eritrea of military aggression against its territory, calling for urgent United Nations (UN) intervention amid escalating diplomatic tensions.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos made the remarks while briefing visiting UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Eritrea's "continued aggression" against Ethiopia and its implications for regional peace and security, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued late Thursday.
Emphasizing the urgent need for a clear and principled UN response to the situation, Timothewos also demanded "the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Ethiopian territory."
The Ethiopian foreign minister further highlighted the East African country's "right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity" in accordance with international law.
In a separate statement, Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Berhanu Tsegaye also highlighted the deteriorating situation along the shared frontier, specifically pointing to Eritrea's "continued aggression and direct military involvement across different fronts along the border."
He emphasized that addressing this "unprovoked aggression is critical to preserving regional stability, safeguarding ongoing peace efforts, and ensuring accountability across the Horn of Africa."
Ethiopia's accusations follow a rapid breakdown in diplomatic relations between the two Horn of Africa countries, amid growing allegations by Ethiopian officials that Asmara is supporting Ethiopian armed rebel groups.
Earlier this month, Ethiopia announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, "in response to Eritrea's direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia."
Ethiopia also expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats for "involvement in activities that pose a direct threat to Ethiopia's national security in breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," prompting Eritrea to announce a complete severance of bilateral ties.
Rejecting the allegations, Eritrea accused Ethiopia of "pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility" and claimed Ethiopia provides weapons and support "to an assortment of Eritrean armed opposition groups" to stoke internal conflict aimed at achieving regime change.
Experts and political analysts attribute the political friction to the continued intense clashes in Ethiopia's Tigray region, pitting the Ethiopian National Defense Force and its allied forces against troops loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front and its allied armed groups.
This military escalation unfolds against the backdrop of the devastating two-year war from November 2020 to November 2022, which caused a massive humanitarian crisis before being formally halted by the Pretoria peace accord in South Africa.
As Ethiopian federal forces expand control in Tigray, after capturing the regional capital Mekelle, analysts are raising alarms about a dangerous spillover across the region. ■