Ethiopia and Eritrea have reportedly exchanged drone and artillery strikes as fighting along their contested border intensifies. Two diplomats familiar with intelligence assessments stated that clashes had escalated over several days, with Ethiopian forces deploying drones and Eritrean troops using heavy artillery.
"We are aware of drone strikes, particularly from the Ethiopian side, and the use of heavy artillery from the Eritrean side, and we are monitoring the situation," one diplomatic source said.
Another official warned that the exchanges risked triggering a major military confrontation between the neighboring nations. "The biggest shared concern among the international community is that this will be sliding into a full-blown military conflict, the outcome of which neither party has yet to fully comprehend," the source said.
Badme sits 800 kilometres north of Addis Ababa and 130 kilometres southwest of Asmara. The location was at the centre of the 1998-2000 border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a conflict that killed tens of thousands of people.
Residents reported nighttime explosions, closed businesses, and families fleeing their homes. This followed an increased presence of Ethiopian federal troops around the town.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reported that Ethiopian federal troops were positioned between Sheraro and Badme, while Eritrean forces were stationed near the town perimeter. Neither military controlled Badme.
The project also documented Ethiopian artillery fire toward areas near Badme and renewed clashes between federal troops and Tigrayan fighters. The Critical Threats Project reported military buildups and clashes near Badme in November, though it could not determine which side of the border the fighting occurred on.
This escalation follows Ethiopian military advances toward the border, including the capture of the town of Sheraro. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have deteriorated sharply amid accusations of support for armed groups and disagreements over Ethiopia’s ambitions for access to the Red Sea.
Foreign ministers from the G7 expressed great concern over the deteriorating security situation following a meeting in Paris. They urged both countries to exercise maximum restraint and pursue diplomatic solutions.
The renewed confrontation threatens to deepen instability in the Horn of Africa. Previous fighting in northern Ethiopia has already displaced civilians and disrupted humanitarian assistance.
