Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of leading Tigray rebel offensive with Egyptian support

Ethiopia’s military chief Saturday accused neighboring Eritrea of directing a new offensive against federal forces, alleging that Egypt supplied weapons and logistical support to Tigrayan rebels in a coordinated campaign to overthrow the Ethiopian government, Anadolu reports.

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, chief of general staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), said at a press conference that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) had launched a fourth round of attacks targeting military positions across the Amhara and Afar regions.

“The offensive was led by Eritrea, with logistical support and military supplies provided by Egypt,” Jula said.

“However, our forces managed to repel the offensive,” he said.

Jula claimed that commanders of the attacking forces had fled to Eritrea following their defeat and were now taking refuge in Adi Keyh, Mendefera and the capital, Asmara.

Adi Keyh and Mendefera are two major towns in Eritrea’s southern highlands, approximately 110 kilometers (68 miles) southeast of the capital, Asmara.

Eritrea and Egypt have previously rejected Ethiopian accusations of interference in their internal affairs, and neither country immediately responded to the latest allegations.

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Alleged alliance to overthrow government

He further accused Eritrea of assembling a coalition involving the TPLF, the Amhara-based Fano militia, the Oromo Liberation Front, Sudan and Egypt.

“The ultimate objective was to unite these forces to destroy Ethiopia and overthrow its government,” he said.

According to Jula, Eritrea intended to use Ethiopia’s northern regions as battlegrounds to shield its own territory from military confrontation.

The army chief also accused Tigrayan authorities of forcibly recruiting young people into the conflict, claiming that as many as 800,000 youths had fled the region to escape military mobilization.

The military claims, including the reported displacement figures and allegations of Egyptian and Eritrean involvement, could not be independently verified. Eritrea and Egypt have earlier rejected Ethiopian accusations.

The accusations come amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia and rapidly deteriorating relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara, which fought alongside each other during the 2020-2022 Tigray war.

Tensions have also intensified over Ethiopia’s push for access to the Red Sea, with Eritrea accusing its landlocked neighbor of threatening its sovereignty and seeking to secure access to the sea through military force, allegations Addis Ababa has denied.

The escalating hostilities have raised fears of a wider conflict in the Horn of Africa, prompting international calls for restraint and a diplomatic resolution.

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