Ethiopia to close embassy in Eritrea, accusing it of 'acts of hostility and belligerence' amid war

Eritrea has denied allegations of supporting an opposition alliance fighting Ethiopian government forces since last week.

Members of the Tigrayan forces patrol along a street as tensions intensify after the forces launched a major offensive against the federal government in multiple locations, in Mekelle, Tigray Region, Ethiopia, September 24, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ByREUTERSOCTOBER 1, 2026 18:13Updated: OCTOBER 1, 2026 18:19

Ethiopia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that it would close its embassy in Eritrea's capital, Asmara, and that it had declared 10 Eritrean diplomats in Ethiopia persona-non grata.

In a statement, the foreign ministry accused Eritrea of "direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia."

Eritrea has denied allegations of supporting an opposition alliance fighting Ethiopian government forces since last week.

Ethiopia's embassy in Eritrea was reopened in 2018 as part of the rapprochement that won Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed the Nobel peace prize.

This is a developing story.

Ethiopia to close embassy in Eritrea, accusing it of 'acts ...