The Case for Genocide in Ethiopia's War in Tigray

 

Tghat, a Tigrayan media platform devoted to the war in Tigray, published on 18 February 2026 a commentary titled "Why Eritrea Committed Genocide in Tigray" by Desta Haileselassie Hagos, Howard University.  

The author argues that the 2020-2022 war in Ethiopia's Tigray Region was an effort by the federal government of Ethiopia and the government of Eritrea to destroy Tigray and eradicate its people.  

This is a much longer account of the arguments made by the author published by Ethiopia Insight and reposted below on 17 February.  

Argument for Eritrea's Role in Tigray Genocide

 Ethiopia Insight published on 17 February 2026 a commentary titled "Eritrea's Role in the Tigray Genocide" by Desta Haileselassie Hagos, Howard University and manager of the Tigray Genocide website.  

The author argues that Eritrean troops joined those from the Ethiopian federal government to engage in a genocide against Tigrayans during the war in Tigray.  

People-to-People Solution to Tigray-Eritrea Differences?

 Ethiopia Insight published on 12 February 2026 a commentary titled "Can a People's Pact Heal a War of Elites?" by Giday Amare, a public servant in the health care sector.  

The author wants ordinary Tigrayans and Eritreans to come together at the people-to-people level in an effort to heal old wounds and overcome divisive actions of elites on both sides of the border.  

More Concern Over a Possible Ethiopia-Eritrea Conflict

 Foreign Policy published on 12 March 2025 an analysis titled "Stop the Next Ethiopia-Eritrea War Before It Begins" by Payton Knopf and Alexander Rondos.

The deterioration of the political and security situation in Ethiopia's Tigray Region is dry tinder waiting for a match that could ignite a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Addis Ababa accuses Asmara of undermining the Pretoria Agreement that ended the war in Tigray Region and of supporting insurgent groups elsewhere in Ethiopia.  Asmara perceives landlocked Ethiopia's calls for access to the Red Sea as a casus belli and forerunner for efforts to return Eritrea to Ethiopian sovereignty.

Argument for Ethiopian Port and Navy

 Ken Opalo posted on 3 November 2023 a commentary titled "Ethiopia Needs a Reliable Seaport and a Navy."

The author makes the case why landlocked Ethiopia should have reliable access to a seaport and a navy as a guarantor of its economic interests in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.  

Michela Wrong's Account of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki

 The Economist's 1843 Magazine published on 28 September 2023 a long commentary on Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki titled "The Surprising Triumph of 'Africa's Kim Jong Un'" by Michela Wrong.

A political survivor with close ties to China, Isaias survived a crushing defeat by Ethiopia's military in their 1998-2000 war to emerge as an ally, and some would say senior partner, in Ethiopia's internal war against Tigray Region, which borders Eritrea and took place from 2020 to 2022.  According to Wrong, Isaias has always believed he could control much larger and wealthier Ethiopia.  

Why Eritrea Backs Putin's War

 The Economist published on 8 March 2022 an article titled "Why Is Eritrea Backing Russian Aggression in Ukraine?"

The intense hostility towards the West, especially the United States, of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Russia's willingness to veto any UN sanctions aimed at Eritrea largely explain the country's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  

Conflict in Tigray: Dueling Information Campaigns

 The Media Manipulation Casebook published on 24 August 2021 a study titled "Dueling Information Campaigns: The War Over the Narrative in Tigray" by Claire Wilmot, Ellen Tveteraas, and Alexi Drew.

This detailed study looks at the competing information campaigns related to the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray Region, which began in November 2020.  The case study documents the strategies and tactics of the Ethiopian government and its supporters and Tigrayan organizers and their allies in the diaspora and Ethiopia.  The authors offer an unbiased look at propaganda from both sides of the conflict in Ethiopia.  

A Tigrayan Appeal for Basic Humanity

 African Arguments posted on 3 August 2021 a commentary titled "Tigray: Our Suffering May Not Be Convenient, But It Is Real" by Temesgen Kahsay, Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology.

This is an appeal by a Tigrayan not to lose sight of each other's basic humanity.  

Eritrea's Final War

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 25 June 2021 a commentary titled "Eritrea's Last War" by Kjetil Tronvol, Bjorknes University College, Oslo. 

The author compares today's Eritrea to ancient Sparta with its never ending military service and constant war campaigns.  He reports that tens of thousands of Eritrean troops are fighting and dying in Tigray Region of Ethiopia.  But if Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki fails in Tigray, the author suggests it may lead to his downfall.  

Video Program on Tigray Conflict and Impact on the Region

 Network 2020, an organization that bridges the gap between the private sector and foreign policy worlds, posted on 17 June 2021 a one hour video broadcast titled "Ethiopia and Tigray: Why the Conflict Matters for the Horn of Africa."

Joanna Gwozdziowski moderated the conversation with Alex de Waal, Tufts University, and myself.  The discussion covered the crisis in Tigray, Ethiopian elections, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Ethiopia-Sudan border conflict, the role of Eritrea, UN peacekeeping operations in Sudan, and regional security issues.  

Eritrea Goes from Pariah State to Regional Powerbroker

 World Politics Review published on 1 June 2021 a commentary titled "Eritrea Goes from Pariah State to Regional Powerbroker" by Tanja Muller, University of Manchester.

The author concludes that in the last three years, Eritrea has gone from being an international pariah state to an increasingly visible and influential regional power broker in the Horn of Africa.  Beginning in 2018, with its normalization of diplomatic relations with Ethiopia and Somalia, and more recently with its military assistance to Ethiopia in Tigray Region, the secretive, dictatorial state has broken out of the isolation it previously faced.

Eritrea's Alleged Role in Ethiopian Conflict

African Arguments published on 4 December 2020 a commentary titled "Eritrea's Role in Ethiopia's Conflict and the Fate of Eritrean Refugees in Ethiopia" by Mesfin Hagos, Eritrea's minister of defense in the 1990s and now in exile in Germany.  

The author, who had a falling out with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki, offers his thoughts on Eritrea's engagement in Tigray Region in support of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.   

The Conflict in Ethiopia from a Tigrayan Perspective

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 18 December 2020 a commentary titled "The War on Tigray: A Multi-pronged Assault Driven by Genocidal Undercurrents" by Gebrekirstos Gebremeskel, an Amsterdam-based researcher.  

This is a lengthy and controversial historical account of the conflict in Tigray Region written from a Tigrayan perspective.  The author argues the conflict is a war against Tigray Region and the Tigrayan people with the goal of destroying Tigray.  

More on Alleged Eritrean Involvement in Tigray Region

 TRT World, a Turkish state-owned news channel, posted on 12 December 2020 an article titled "US Urges Eritrean Troops to Withdraw from Ethiopia's Tigray Region" by Faisal Ali.  

The article summarizes the charges that Eritrea has deployed troops in Ethiopia's Tigray Region in support of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. 

Ethiopia: Tigray's Ruling Party Threatened

Ethiopia Insight posted on 26 March 2020 a commentary titled "With Abiy in His Corner, Isaias Eyes TPLF Knockout" by U.S. resident Naty Berhane Yifru.

The author argues that an alliance of Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed threatens the future of the ruling Tigray People's Liberation Front in Tigray Region.

Eritrea's Suffering Female National Service Conscripts

Ethiopia Insight published on 15 January 2020 an article titled "No Peace for Eritrea's Long-suffering Female Conscripts" by Hiba Said, Ethiopia Insight editor.

Eritrea has a National Service that requires men and women to join. It is believed to be the single most important reason why Eritrea ranks ninth in the world as a country of origin for refugees. An estimated 12 percent of Eritrea's population has fled the country. According to the author, the National Service has become especially abusive for Eritrean women.

Taking Account of Past in Ethiopia-Eritrea Rapprochement

Ethiopia Insight published on 7 August 2019 a commentary titled "Ethiopia and Eritrea's Peace Must Be Rooted in Past" by Samuel Fikreselassie, Goethe University in Germany.

The author argues that a major challenge for long-term reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea is to deal with historical issues and promote genuine peace between people with deep grievances and misperceptions.

Eritrea under Isaias Afwerki

The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs published on 12 March 2018 an analysis titled "Maintaining Power by Breaking Up Society: Eritrea under Isaias Afwerki" by Bahlbi Y. Malk, Canadian Partnership for Reconstruction and Development.

The author argues that Isaias Afwerki has maintained control of Eritrea since independence through a successful policy of divide and rule.

Time to Bring Eritrea in from the Cold (Part II)

The UK-based African Arguments published on 13 January 2014 my commentary titled "Time to Bring Eritrea in from the Cold (But It's Harder than It Sounds)."  This is follow-on to the commentary by former assistant secretary of state Hank Cohen published by African Arguments on 16 December 2013 and carried below.  I agree with Cohen's goal of normalizing relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia, but recent history between the two countries makes it more difficult than it might appear.  As for an improvement in relations between Eritrea and the United States, this depends as much on Eritrea as it does on the United States.