Eritrean Troops Reportedly Move South Through Ethiopia’s Tigray Region
Eritrean troops were reportedly seen in Adigrat, northern Ethiopia, moving south with heavy weaponry as fighting between the TPLF and Ethiopian federal forces intensifies.
Eritrean troops have reportedly been deployed in Adigrat, in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and are moving south with heavy weaponry, according to residents, a local official and other sources cited by Agence France-Presse.
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Adigrat is approximately 115 kilometres (70 miles) north of Mekelle, the regional capital. Two eyewitnesses told AFP they saw Eritrean soldiers on the town’s streets heading south, while an unnamed local official said the troops had been present for several days.
One eyewitness described the soldiers as travelling in large trucks, patrol vehicles and other transport, and said they were carrying heavy weapons. The accounts have not been accompanied by official confirmation in the available reports, and the number of troops involved remains unclear.
Reports of drone strikes
Gebreigziabher Beyene, commander of the Tigray Peace Force, said Eritrean troops had entered Tigray in uniform and with heavy weaponry. He also said the force was being targeted by drones.
“The Eritrean army has entered Tigray in uniform, equipped with heavy weaponry,” Beyene said. He added: “This force is being struck by drones.”
An Adwa resident separately told AFP that drone strikes over the weekend hit hotels in the town, killing several civilians and injuring four others. The reports did not identify who carried out the strikes.
The unnamed local official said residents in Adigrat were deeply worried. “The population is very concerned,” the official said.
Fighting in Tigray
The reported troop movement comes after fighting between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Ethiopian federal forces began on September 23. Ethiopia’s army entered Mekelle over the weekend without a fight after the TPLF abandoned the city.
Beyene said Eritrea was deliberately deploying forces to keep the conflict inside Tigray rather than allowing it to spread across the border into Eritrea. That explanation was presented as his assessment of Eritrea’s purpose, rather than as an independently confirmed government position.
Kjetil Tronvoll of Oslo New University College told AFP that maintaining strategic depth and a buffer zone in northern Tigray was important to Eritrea. He said Eritrea would seek to confront Ethiopian forces on Tigrayan territory.
Relations under strain
The developments have added to tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993, and the two countries fought a border war from 1998 to 2000. Relations improved markedly in 2018 after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rose to power.
Eritrean forces fought alongside Ethiopia during the 2020-2022 civil war against the TPLF, according to the source material. Relations deteriorated after that conflict. Earlier this month, Ethiopia reportedly expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea reportedly said it would sever diplomatic ties.
There have also been concerns that TPLF forces could retreat into Eritrea, potentially creating a justification for Ethiopian military action across the border. The reported Eritrean presence in Adigrat and the movement of troops south therefore come amid heightened regional security tensions.
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