Addis Abeba–Ethiopia and Eritrea are deploying troops and military equipment near the northern Tigray region, raising the risk of renewed conflict in the Horn of Africa, Bloomberg reported, citing regional diplomats.
According to the report, the military buildup follows weeks of escalating tensions linked to unresolved disputes between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan authorities, three years after the signing of the Pretoria cessation of hostilities agreement, as well as spillover from the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Ethiopian troops and equipment have been moved northward, including through Bahir Dar, while Eritrean forces have also deployed to areas inside Tigray. Unverified footage circulating on social media reportedly shows military convoys transporting soldiers and heavy weaponry.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed this week reiterated Ethiopia’s longstanding ambition to secure access to the Red Sea, describing maritime access as key to overcoming logistical constraints on economic growth. Speaking at a joint press conference in Addis Ababa with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Abiy said it was unjust for Ethiopia to remain “a geographic prisoner” and emphasized that sea access is critical to the country’s development.
Eritrea dismissed what it characterized as threats of war. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told Bloomberg that claims justifying conflict to obtain “sovereign access to the sea” lack international support.
Analysts cited in the report warned of potential escalation. Kjetil Tronvoll, a peace and conflict studies scholar at Oslo New University College, said a “new big war” could erupt depending on triggering factors. Magnus Taylor of the International Crisis Group said the situation reflects mounting escalation involving Ethiopia’s federal government and what he described as an alignment between Eritrea and elements within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Bloomberg noted that disputes persist over the implementation of the 2022 peace agreement, including the return of displaced people and control of contested territories in western Tigray, while the federal government has called for the full demobilization of TPLF forces.
The report added that recent tensions have included reported skirmishes and drone activity, the temporary suspension of flights to Mekelle by Ethiopian Airlines, and fuel supply disruptions to the region. Eritrean state television also broadcast a naval parade in Massawa last week, marking the anniversary of the city’s capture in 1990.
The International Crisis Group warned in a recent report that, without coordinated regional and international efforts to ease tensions, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Tigray risk sliding into a broader regional conflict that could prove difficult to contain.