Why Eritrea matters as fighting returns to Ethiopia's Tigray

On September 23, fighting escalated dramatically in Ethiopia 's Tigray region. Tigrayan forces seized three local airports and fighting spread into the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara, according to reports. Both sides accuse the other of starting the escalation. The renewed fighting poses a major challenge to the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement that ended the previous Tigray war. This is where Eritrea becomes crucial. Martin Plaut, a British journalist specializing in the Horn of Africa , noted that the US needs Eritrea in the struggle to secure the Red Sea against the Houthis , an Iran-backed Shiite Muslim militia. Plaut argues that removing sanctions gives new political weight to one of Africa's most repressive regimes.