Ethiopia has told the UN Security Council it has "no option but to defend itself" against what it calls an "all-out invasion" by Eritrean forces, in a letter shared with Reuters on Friday, October 9, 2026 — the sharpest escalation yet in a crisis that has raised fears of outright war between the Horn of Africa neighbours.
What the letter says
In the letter dated October 8, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos wrote that Eritrean troops, including mechanized units, had deployed up to 60 km (37 miles) into northern Ethiopia's Tigray region. The letter, addressed to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and shared with the other Security Council members, called the presence of Eritrean troops on Ethiopian soil "a blatant act of aggression that engages Ethiopia's inherent right to self-defence."
"Taking its belligerence and intransigence to a whole new level, the Eritrean government has deployed its troops, including mechanized units, deep into Ethiopian territory," the letter said. "The all-out invasion of parts of northern Ethiopia by Eritrea is a matter of public record." It closed by asking for "understanding, support, and solidarity" at a time when Ethiopia was "left with no other option but to defend itself."
This is the Ethiopian government's first official statement on reported incursions this week. Witnesses told Reuters that Eritrean soldiers were seen in northern Ethiopia in recent days, and the US-based conflict monitor ACLED reported drone strikes — believed to be Ethiopian — targeting Eritrean forces near the town of Adigrat on Wednesday and Thursday. Those reports have not been independently verified.
How Eritrea responds
Eritrea rejects Ethiopia's account. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on Friday, but on Wednesday he called reports of an Eritrean incursion part of an Ethiopian plan to justify a war of aggression against his country.
Asmara's position, set out when the two countries severed diplomatic ties on October 1–2, is that Ethiopia has pursued "an agenda of incessant hostility" for three years — including what Eritrea describes as a publicly stated aim of acquiring sovereign access to the Red Sea through Eritrean ports and coastal areas — and that Ethiopia has hosted, trained and armed Eritrean opposition groups. Ethiopia, in turn, accuses Eritrea of backing a rebel alliance that has battled federal troops since September 23 in Tigray, Amhara and Afar — a claim Eritrea denies.
The road to this point
The two countries fought alongside each other during the 2020–2022 Tigray war but relations have deteriorated sharply since. On October 1, Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and declared ten Eritrean diplomats persona non grata, citing Eritrean "acts of hostility and belligerence"; Eritrea reciprocated by severing all diplomatic ties the same day. Tensions have also been fueled by Ethiopia's pursuit of Red Sea access, particularly around the Eritrean port of Assab.
For now, the competing claims remain unverified by independent observers, and neither side has shown willingness to back down. The Security Council has not yet publicly responded to Ethiopia's letter.
The takeaway: with troops reportedly moving, drones striking and diplomacy severed, the Horn of Africa faces its most dangerous moment since the Tigray war ended — and the world will be watching whether the UN can pull the two neighbours back from the brink.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Volatile Reaction (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources
- Reuters: Ethiopia says it must defend itself against Eritrea's 'all-out invasion'
- Monitor (Uganda): Ethiopia says it must defend itself against Eritrea's 'all-out invasion'
- ednews.net: Ethiopia tells UN Security Council it has no choice but to defend itself against Eritrea
- Global South Focus: Eritrea Severs Diplomatic Ties with Ethiopia