Eritrea has accused Qatar of plans “to assassinate influential Eritrean leaders”, according to a press release from Eritrea’s information ministry.
It added that Qatar was guilty of “subversion” including supporting opposition groups and encouraging “protests and demonstrations in Eritrean cities against the government”.
The statement also alleged that Qatar wants to “instil religious extremism on Eritrean Islamist opposition elements and thereby induce an uprising of Eritrean Muslims against their compatriots”.
Eritrea had long-standing close relations with Qatar until the rivalry among among Gulf states emerged in 2017.
Eritrea has since shifted allegiance towards the Saudi-UAE alliance in the conflict in Yemen.
To help the war efforts of the Saudi-led coalition, Eritrea is hosting a UAE military base outside the port city of Assab.