Brief
Ethiopian drones strike Eritrean troops in Tigray after cross‑border incursion
Eritrean soldiers entered Adigrat on Wednesday and were targeted by Ethiopian drones later that day and Thursday morning, the Guardian reports.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Eritrean troops that crossed into Ethiopia's Tigray region were hit by government drones on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, a development that could broaden the conflict between the neighbours, the Guardian said.
Civilian witnesses, a militia commander and the conflict‑monitoring group ACLED reported that military vehicles carrying Eritrean soldiers drove across the southern border into Tigray on Wednesday, reaching the town of Adigrat about 40 km south of the frontier.
According to ACLED, Ethiopian drones targeted the Eritrean convoy later that evening and again the next morning. The Guardian notes that Eritrea has a long‑standing hostility toward the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which launched an offensive on 23 September, but that current Eritrean actions are driven by a perceived threat of an Ethiopian incursion toward the Red Sea.
In the preceding two weeks, the TPLF and six other armed groups have been fighting the federal government in Tigray and the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions. Ethiopian forces, backed by the allied Tigray Peace Force militia, retook the regional capital Mekelle on 4 October after the TPLF withdrew.
Eritrea’s information minister, Yemane Ghebremeskel, said his ministry would not refute “wild allegations or narratives,” without confirming or denying the presence of Eritrean troops. Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said the country is ready to defend its sovereignty and urged regional actors to pursue dialogue rather than confrontation.
Key facts
- Eritrean troops entered Tigray via Adigrat on 8 October 2026. (theguardian.com)
- Ethiopian government drones struck the Eritrean convoy on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. (theguardian.com)
- The incursion follows weeks of fighting involving the TPLF, six armed groups and Ethiopian forces across Tigray, Amhara and Afar. (theguardian.com)
- Eritrea’s information minister declined to confirm the troops’ presence, calling reports "wild allegations". (theguardian.com)
- Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said it will defend its sovereignty and called for regional dialogue. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Ethiopia launches drone attack against Eritrean troops who crossed into Tigray”
