Ethiopia tells UN it is acting in self-defense against Eritrea

(10 Oct 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Adigrat, Ethiopia - 10 October 2026 1. Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) military vehicles and troops entering Adigrat, the second-largest city in Tigray after Mekelle 2. Residents on the streets welcoming troops, including one resident waving an Ethiopian flag 3. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Hagos Woldegebriel, Adigrat resident: "Right now, we are facing a severe crisis. Children and the elderly are suffering from hunger. Furthermore, sick people are dying due to a lack of medical treatment. We urge the concerned authorities to help us immediately." 4. People celebrating and a military vehicle driving through Adigrat 5. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Teame Lemlem, displaced resident from Zalambessa: "Everything is running out. Banks are closed, and the public is running out of food supplies. People are also dying without medical care. If peace prevails, it would bring us great hope." 6. ENDF troops in the city 7. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Gidey Sibhatu, pensioner and Adigrat resident: "As a pensioner, I am facing severe difficulties and am in a terrible situation, so I want the banks to open and provide me with a solution." 8. Military vehicles and street celebration scenes STORYLINE: Ethiopia told the U.N. Security Council on Friday it is taking measures in self-defense against Eritrea, accusing its neighbor of sending troops across the border and occupying parts of northern Ethiopia. The declaration adds to fears of a wider conflict as government-allied forces report advances in Tigray, a region devastated by a previous war. In a letter dated Friday, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos invoked Ethiopia’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. He did not specify what measures the country was taking. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, accused Eritrea of deploying infantry and mechanized units in recent weeks and supporting, financing, arming and directing insurgent groups. It did not identify the occupied areas or provide evidence supporting its allegations. Ethiopia had repeatedly urged Eritrea to withdraw its forces, Gedion wrote. The AP could not independently verify the allegations. Eritrea in its letter of response to the U.N. Security Council asked the council to “forcefully condemn Ethiopia's deplorable declaration of war against Eritrea” and take “deterrent measures against it”. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel accused Ethiopia on Friday of pursuing aggression against Eritrea through its demands for sovereign access to the Red Sea. Writing on X, he did not explicitly confirm or deny the reported troop crossings. Eritrea announced last week it was severing diplomatic ties after Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated Monday that Ethiopia must have access to the Red Sea. Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said it remained committed to dialogue with its neighbors. The accusations deepen a rift between countries whose armies fought together against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front from 2020 to 2022. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...