Eritrea seeks UN action as Ethiopia invokes self-defence

Eritrea asked the UN Security Council on Saturday to condemn Ethiopia and take deterrent measures, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said Ethiopian accusations of an invasion were being used to justify aggression against his country.

Ethiopia had sent its own letter on Friday, invoking the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Its foreign minister accused Eritrea of deploying forces across the border and supporting insurgents. The Associated Press, which obtained that letter, said it provided no supporting evidence for the allegations and did not independently verify them.

Reuters likewise said it could not independently confirm the reported Eritrean incursion. It separately reported accounts from residents who saw Ethiopian government troops and allied militia in Adigrat on Saturday, near the border.

The appeals deepen fears of wider conflict involving Tigray. They do not establish that the Security Council has approved sanctions or military action.