Ethiopia accuses TPLF and Eritrea of 'impending' attack

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia has accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Eritrea of planning attacks during the upcoming rainy season, while cautioning US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the impending attacks.

Gedion Timothewos, Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, said there is credible evidence that Eritrea and TPLF are working closely with armed groups to undertake a major offensive in the upcoming rainy season.

He accused Eritrea of continued provocation and breach of territorial integrity and sovereignty, meant to destabilize the country. In a letter dated 20 June, Gedion warned that these actions constitute “a flagrant violation of international law” and threaten to unravel fragile peace and security in the Horn of Africa, Addis Standard reports.

According to him, Ethiopia has been willing to normalise relations with Asmara since 2018, when a Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship deal was signed. This informed the Nobel Peace Prize Committee's recognition of Abiy Ahmed the following year.

“Ethiopia took the initiative,” he wrote, “driven by fraternal ties and shared prosperity,” and remained committed to peaceful dialogue even amid rising tensions.

During the Tigray war, Eritrean troops fought alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), leading to an international outcry. The United Nations specifically wanted an action taken against Eritreans.

With diplomatic relations already cooling off in post-Pretoria, Ethiopia is now directly accusing Eritrea of using the war as “an opportunity to weaken Ethiopia,” and that it “began to adopt an increasingly hostile posture,” following the signing of the Pretoria agreement.

“Even when faced with these violations… the Government of Ethiopia has exercised maximum restraint,” Gedion wrote, while calling on the international community to “urge the Eritrean regime to respect Ethiopia’s sovereignty and halt its illegal support for subversion.”

But Eritrea has issued a statement dismissing Gedion's assertions while insisting that it's a strategy by Ethiopia to justify a “long-brewing war agenda.”

The Ministry accused Ethiopia of indulging in “provocative saber-rattling,” and pursuing access to Eritrean ports “legally if possible and militarily, if necessary,” and accused the Prosperity Party-led government of engaging in “a weapons purchasing spree” and undermining regional stability, despite what it claimed was Eritrea’s “maximum restraint.”

Ethiopia is also exploring the potential of accessing the sea through peaceful means, with Eritrea and Somalia being the entry points. “We want access to the sea, not by force, but by understanding,” Abiy Ahmed said.

Dismissing speculations of impending war with Eritrea, Abiy told lawmakers that Ethiopia doesn’t “desire any conflict… they should also do the same.”

Nonetheless, he reaffirmed that Ethiopia has “sufficient capacity to defend itself,” describing it as “a country with a large economy, a significant population, and a modern army.” Since Ahmed took over the realms of power, Ethiopia has been in persistent wrangles with neighbours and internal groups.

GAROWE ONLINE