Dozens of Eritrean soldiers drove through the Tigrayan town of Adigrat on 7 October, witnesses say, raising fears of a broader regional conflict after weeks of hostilities between forces from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies and the Ethiopian federal government.
According to reports, Eritrean troops moved from the border town of Zalambessa towards central Tigray, with convoys reportedly passing through Adigrat and heading toward Edaga Hamus, a town between Adigrat and the major town of Mekelle, which has see-sawed between TPLF and government control.
The town of Adigrat lies 25km south of the border between Ethiopia's Tigray region and Eritrea. If confirmed, it would be the first sighting of Eritrean forces inside Ethiopia since fighting resumed between the federal government and forces from the TPLF on 23 September, almost four years after a peace deal was signed to end the bloody 2020-2022 Tigrayan War.
The Ethiopian government has accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF - a former enemy of Eritrea during the 2020-2022 conflict. At the same time, tensions have spiked between Ethiopia and Eritrea over Ethiopia's demands to access the Red Sea. Ethiopia has lacked access to the Red Sea since Eritrea gained de facto independence in 1991.
Originally published by African Business.