ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Eritrean government on Saturday called on the United Nations (UN) to take "requisite deterrent measures" against Ethiopia in accordance with the UN Charter, amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring countries.
In a letter sent to the UN Security Council on Saturday, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh described Ethiopia's recent accusation of Eritrean aggression as "deceitful attempts to rationalize its brazen acts of war against a sovereign UN member state in self-defense terms."
Eritrea requested the council "to forcefully condemn Ethiopia's deplorable declaration of war against Eritrea, which will inculcate huge devastation to the peoples of both countries and destabilize the whole region."
The letter came days after the Ethiopian government accused Eritrea of military aggression against its territory, calling for an urgent UN intervention.
On Thursday, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos emphasized the urgent need for a clear and principled UN response to Eritrea's "continued aggression," while demanding "the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Ethiopian territory."
Timothewos highlighted Ethiopia's "right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity" in accordance with international law.
The latest developments follow a rapid breakdown in diplomatic relations between the two Horn of Africa countries. Earlier this month, Ethiopia announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, "in response to Eritrea's direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia," prompting Eritrea to announce a complete severance of bilateral ties.
Experts and political analysts attribute the political friction to the continued intense clashes in Ethiopia's Tigray region, pitting the Ethiopian National Defense Force and its allied forces against troops loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front and its allied armed groups.
This military escalation unfolds against the backdrop of the devastating two-year war from November 2020 to November 2022, which caused a massive humanitarian crisis before being formally halted by the Pretoria peace accord in South Africa.
As Ethiopian federal forces expand their control in Tigray following the capture of the regional capital, Mekelle, analysts are raising alarms about a dangerous spillover across the region. ■
