Ethiopia Demands Immediate Withdrawal of Eritrean Troops Amid Rising Border Tensions

Ethiopia has formally demanded that Eritrea immediately withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory, accusing its northern neighbour of military aggression and of backing armed groups operating within Ethiopia’s borders.

In a strongly worded letter dated Saturday, February 7, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, wrote to his Eritrean counterpart, Osman Saleh Mohammed, alleging that Eritrean forces have occupied parts of Ethiopian territory along their shared border for an extended period.

Timothewos accused Asmara of providing material support to rebel groups inside Ethiopia, describing the alleged incursions as a serious violation of Ethiopia’s sovereignty.

“The incursions of Eritrean troops further into Ethiopian territory are not merely provocations but constitute acts of outright aggression,” the foreign minister wrote.

He called on Eritrea to “immediately withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory and cease all forms of collaboration with armed groups,” warning that continued actions risk further destabilising the region.

The latest exchange underscores the sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries, once bitter enemies who fought a devastating border war between 1998 and 2000. Although Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a landmark peace agreement in 2018 and later aligned during Ethiopia’s two-year conflict with authorities in the northern Tigray region, that cooperation has since unravelled.

Eritrea was not a signatory to the November 2022 agreement that ended the Tigray war, and diplomatic relations between the neighbours have grown increasingly strained since then. In recent months, Addis Ababa has repeatedly accused Eritrea of supporting insurgent forces on Ethiopian soil—claims that Asmara has consistently denied.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, Ethiopia signalled it remains open to diplomacy. Timothewos said Addis Ababa is willing to engage in good-faith dialogue on issues of mutual interest, provided Eritrea respects Ethiopia’s territorial integrity. He noted that such discussions could include sensitive matters such as maritime access and Ethiopia’s long-standing interest in securing access to the Red Sea through Eritrea’s port of Assab.

As of Sunday, Eritrean authorities had not publicly responded to the Ethiopian government’s letter.

The standoff raises fresh concerns about stability in the Horn of Africa, a region already grappling with conflict, humanitarian crises, and fragile political transitions.