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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused Eritrean forces of committing atrocities during the two-year Tigray war, which ended in 2022. Eritrean troops fought alongside the Ethiopian army against Tigrayan fighters in the northern region bordering Eritrea.
Eritrean Troops Massacred Civilians in Aksum
In parliament, Abiy Ahmed admitted for the first time that Eritrean soldiers killed civilians in Aksum. Reports say hundreds of people died during raids on 28 and 29 November 2020. Eritrea had previously denied these claims.
Ethiopia and Eritrea Relations Strained
Ethiopia and Eritrea’s relationship has changed since Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending a 20-year border conflict. Relations were friendly during parts of the Tigray war, but disagreements over Red Sea access and Eritrea’s actions in Tigray have increased tensions.
African Union Peace Agreement
The African Union brokered a peace deal between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in November 2022. Eritrea did not sign the agreement. At the time, it opposed the truce, arguing the TPLF should be fully defeated first.
Human rights groups and journalists reported widespread abuses during the war. Abiy confirmed that allied forces destroyed homes, looted property, and damaged infrastructure in cities like Adwa, Aksum, Adigrat, and Shire.
Recent Developments
Abiy said Ethiopian envoys visited Eritrea to demand an end to killings and destruction. Flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray resumed after a five-day suspension caused by clashes in western Tigray.
An African Union envoy estimates that 600,000 people died during the Tigray war. Many fear renewed conflict in the region.
