Ethiopia closes embassy in Eritrea, expels 10 diplomats amid rising tensions

The Ethiopian government on Thursday announced its decision to close its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, amid escalating diplomatic tensions. In a press statement, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the decision was made "in response to Eritrea's direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia."

The Ethiopian government also declared 10 Eritrean diplomats in Addis Ababa, the country's capital, persona non grata "for involvement in activities that pose a direct threat to Ethiopia's national security in breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." The ministry said that the diplomats in Addis Ababa are required to leave the east African country within 48 hours.