ADDIS ABABA, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - More than 3,000 Eritrean refugees have been detained in Egypt this year and some have reported sexual violence and torture, a human rights NGO said Monday.

Eritrea, a Horn of Africa country of approximately 3.5 million inhabitants, has one of the most repressive governments in the world.

Led since 1993 by President Isaias Afwerki, who has never held an election, its citizens face indefinite military service that leads many young men to flee the country.

A report published by Human Rights Concern - Eritrea (HRCE) said more than 3,000 refugees from the country have been arrested in Egypt since January 10.

It collected testimonies and photographs to show that many had suffered "beatings and burns inflicted with hot water and corrosive substances", and sexual violence.

Two young children have reportedly died after their mother was arrested, HRCE said.

Some may already have been deported back to Eritrea despite being registered with the UN refugee agency, which should protect them from forced return, arbitrary arrest, and detention.

Egypt and Eritrea have grown closer in recent months due to shared difficulties with Ethiopia.

Egypt is worried by Ethiopia's new mega-dam on the River Nile, which it says poses an "existential threat" to its water security.

Eritrea accuses landlocked Ethiopia of plotting to invade and take control of its port at Assab.

AFP has approached the Eritrean government for comment.

HRCE urged the UN to "intervene immediately to prevent deportations" and Egypt to "uphold its obligations under international refugee law".

HRCE says there are more than 10,000 prisoners of conscience in Eritrea, including journalists, dissidents, and members of religious minorities. It says many have been held for years without trial.