in the latest sign of escalating tensions between the two neighbours over control of the Red Sea. Ethiopia's accusation is contained in a letter sent by its Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos to UN chief Antonio Guterres, warning that the collusion had become "more evident over the past few months".

Eritrea has not yet commented on the letter, but its relationship with Ethiopia has become increasingly strained in recent months. Ethiopia has been rallying support to regain access to the Red Sea, causing alarm in Eritrea as it took control of the coastline at independence in 1993. If Gedion's allegations are true, it means that Eritrea is waging a proxy war against Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government, to prevent it from launching a military incursion into Eritrea to seize ports along the Red Sea.

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought for control of the border town of Badme from 1998 to 2000, causing the deaths of tens of thousands of people. After Abiy took office in 2018, he ended tensions by building a strong alliance with Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki. However, relations between them have since soured, with access to the Red Sea becoming a major flashpoint. In the letter seen by AFP news agency, Gedion alleged that Eritrea and a hardline faction of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) was "funding, mobilizing and directing armed groups" in Ethiopia's Amhara region, where militiamen known as Fano have been battling the federal government. "The hardliner faction of the TPLF and the Eritrean government are actively preparing to wage war against Ethiopia," AFP quoted the letter as saying. (BBC)