Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have reportedly exchanged drone and artillery strikes near the disputed border town of Badme, forcing civilians to flee and raising fears of a renewed war between the Horn of Africa neighbours.
Diplomatic sources cited by Ethiopian news outlet Addis Standard said fighting had intensified over recent days, with Ethiopian forces reportedly launching drone attacks and Eritrean troops responding with heavy artillery fire.
Two diplomats familiar with intelligence assessments described the exchanges as a dangerous escalation that could develop into a broader military confrontation.
Residents in the border area reported explosions during the night, shuttered businesses and families abandoning their homes as Ethiopian federal forces increased their military presence around Badme.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported on November 13 that Ethiopian troops were positioned between Sheraro and Badme, while Eritrean forces had deployed near the town’s outskirts.
According to the conflict monitor, neither army had established control over Badme, although Eritrean intelligence personnel had reportedly been observed in the area.
ACLED also documented Ethiopian artillery strikes near the disputed town and renewed fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan fighters in northern Ethiopia.
The Critical Threats Project separately reported exchanges of artillery fire between Ethiopian and Eritrean forces from November 11 to 13, alongside reported Ethiopian drone strikes targeting Eritrean positions.
However, conflicting accounts of territorial control and the location of some engagements have complicated efforts to independently establish the full extent of the fighting.
The latest confrontation follows Ethiopian military advances in northern Tigray, including the reported capture of Sheraro on November 3.
Relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have deteriorated amid mutual accusations of supporting armed groups, unresolved border disputes and growing tensions over Ethiopia’s ambitions to secure access to the Red Sea.
Badme remains one of the most sensitive flashpoints between the two countries. The town was at the centre of their 1998–2000 border war, which killed tens of thousands of people and left deep political and territorial divisions.
International concern has increased as military deployments expand along the frontier.
Following talks in Paris on November 9–10, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) expressed alarm over worsening tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, warning that further escalation could threaten regional stability, humanitarian operations and trade routes through the Red Sea.
The ministers urged both countries to exercise restraint, pursue diplomatic negotiations and protect civilians.
The renewed fighting threatens to further destabilise the Horn of Africa, where continuing conflict in northern Ethiopia has already displaced communities and disrupted humanitarian assistance.
Neither Ethiopia nor Eritrea has publicly confirmed the full extent of the reported cross-border exchanges.
