From former allies to bitter enemies: the pivot of Eritrean intervention

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1974, the Eritrean and Tigrayan rebels were brothers-in-arms against a common foe. By 2020, they were locked in a brutal war. This shift from revolutionary alliance to violent intervention highlights how shared enemies can forge sudden, devastating geopolitical realignments.

The relationship between Eritrea and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) underwent a radical transformation. During the Ethiopian Civil War (1974–1991), the two groups were allies against the Derg regime. However, following Eritrea's independence, the relationship soured over border disputes, specifically regarding the town of Badme. This friction led to a full-scale war in the late 1990s, characterized by human rights violations including torture, rape, and forced expulsions. By 2018, the two entities had been actively hostile for roughly 20 years.

A major shift occurred in April 2018 when Abiy Ahmed became Ethiopia's prime minister. He unexpectedly moved to normalize relations with Eritrea, leading to a peace summit where Ethiopia accepted Eritrean claims over Badme. While celebrated internationally—earning Abiy a Nobel Peace Prize—the move was viewed as a betrayal by many in the Tigray region. Analysts suggest this pivot was driven by a shared animosity toward the TPLF, which both the Eritrean government and non-Tigrayan Ethiopian officials resented for its long-standing political dominance.

This new cooperation manifested in 2020 when Eritrea intervened in the Tigray War to support the Ethiopian federal government against the TPLF. Reports indicate that Eritrean forces pursued objectives independent of Ethiopian command, occupying rural areas and utilizing UAE-made drones. Despite a November 2022 peace agreement between Ethiopia and Tigray, Eritrea remained a non-party to the deal, continuing to launch attacks on Tigrayan civilians and obstructing humanitarian missions into areas like Gemhalo village.

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