Eritrea Reports Closure of Embassy in Ethiopia Amid Rising Tensions

Eritrea is reportedly closing its embassy in Ethiopia due to escalating tensions, with personnel being sent home. Minister Yemane Gebreab accused Ethiopia of warmongering, following criticism from former President Mulatu Teshome. Eritrea is said to have called for nationwide military mobilization, while accusations of arming militia factions have surfaced. The situation reflects deteriorating relations since the 2018 peace agreement.

Recent reports indicate that Eritrea is closing its embassy in Addis Ababa amid escalating tensions with Ethiopia. Sources suggest that embassy personnel are being repatriated swiftly, with only Eritrea’s representative to the African Union expected to remain in Addis Ababa. To date, neither the Eritrean Ministry of Information nor the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially confirmed this development.

While Ethiopia continues to maintain an embassy in Asmara, it currently lacks a designated ambassador. Eritrean Minister of Information, Yemane Gebreab, has publicly accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of shifting the blame for internal strife externally and engaging in warmongering. His remarks followed an op-ed in Al Jazeera by former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome, who alleged that Eritrea was allied with factions of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to instigate conflict.

Social media claims suggest that Eritrea has initiated nationwide mobilization, urging all men up to the age of 60 to prepare for potential conflict with the Ethiopian administration. The relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia deteriorated following the 2018 peace agreement that ended two decades of conflict, a period which saw improved connections, including resumed airline services and telecommunications.

These recent tensions, however, appear related to the Pretoria Agreement, which concluded a prolonged conflict between Tigray and the Ethiopian federal government. Eritrea firmly denies any link between its disputes with Ethiopia and the Pretoria Agreement. Furthermore, Abiy Ahmed’s government has accused Eritrea of supporting local militia factions and conspiring with the TPLF to undermine Ethiopia.

In light of ongoing developments, there exists a tangible concern regarding a potential outbreak of war between the two nations. Despite such fears, some pro-government activists in Eritrea believe that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed may not possess sufficient military capability to engage in a substantial conflict with Eritrea.

The purported closure of Eritrea’s embassy in Ethiopia highlights increasing tensions between the two nations, exacerbated by allegations of external aggression and military mobilization. Despite previous diplomatic efforts following the historic peace agreement in 2018, recent developments appear to signal a regression to hostility, with both countries accusing each other of fomenting conflict. With fears of potential war on the rise, the situation remains precarious and unpredictable.

Original Source: borkena.com