Civil war in Ethiopia spreads to the neighboring Eritrea

Missiles from the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray hit the Eritrean capital Asmara on Saturday, reporting diplomats and witnesses in the capital. The internal conflict in northern Ethiopia seems to be spreading across state borders.

‘According to the news we are now receiving, several missiles have landed near the capital’s Airport’, says a diplomat. Also, several witnesses heard explosions. International press agencies have not yet confirmed the missile attacks.

In the northern part of Ethiopia, is currently the scene of a conflict between the Ethiopian government and the well-armed local government, the state of Tigray, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The local government accuses the government of calling for military support from Eritrea, which Ethiopia denies.

Itachew Reda, a high-ranking member of the TPLF, threatened retaliation earlier on Saturday in the form of “rocket attacks” on Asmara and the Eritrean port of Massawa. It is unknown how many missiles have been fired and how much damage has been done.
Hundreds of victims of conflict in northern Ethiopia

On Thursday, Amnesty International announced that on 9 November, tens to hundreds of civilians were killed in an attack in the Ethiopian city of May Cadera.

The human rights organisation has not yet been able to identify a person responsible for the attack. Witnesses claim that troops loyal to Tigray’s local government are responsible for the attack, but there is still no confirmation of this.

TPLF has been at odds with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since he came to power in 2018. Tensions between the two parties increased after the TPLF held local elections in September against the wishes of the federal government.

It is still unclear how many victims have so far been affected by the conflict. According to sources and local media, hundreds of people have died.

Experts warn that chaos in Ethiopia can have a major impact on the whole of North-East Africa and can also trigger new flows of refugees into Europe. More than 10 000 Ethiopians have already fled to neighbouring Sudan this week.

The editor-in-chief worked for many years as a literary editor in Bern's leading publications. Over time, I decided to become the editor-in-chief. The main direction of materials is international relations and society.