Ethiopia and Eritrea appeared on the verge of war, as longstanding tensions in the Horn of Africa threatened to spill over into full-blown hostilities.
Deteriorating relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have created a “powder keg” in the region, the International Crisis Group warned; Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of arming rebels, while the latter says the former has declared war.
The two have long been at odds, with territory at the heart of the dispute. Landlocked Ethiopia — one of Africa’s biggest economies — says it has a historic right to maritime access, which it lost when Eritrea seceded. The threat of war has sent prices in the region soaring, with many hoarding foodstuffs. “The situation is very frightening,” an Ethiopian political analyst told DW.