A border dispute in 1998 ignited a deadly war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which share a border of over 1,000km. The war started when Eritrean troops invaded Badme, a contested town in Tigray, the northernmost region of Ethiopia. At the time, Ethiopia was ruled under a four-party political coalition created and dominated by Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Eritrea’s ruling party was historically an ally of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Abiy Ahmed’s peace overtures to Eritrea in 2018 and the resulting peace agreement were lauded by many in the global community and locally.

Source: Ethiopian News February 25, 2026 22:33 UTC