Eritrea has rejected Ethiopian accusations that Eritrean troops are operating on Ethiopian territory, calling the claims “false and fabricated” as the two Horn of Africa neighbours traded sharply worded letters and warnings of escalation.
Eritrea rejects Ethiopia allegations of troop incursions
The dispute centres on a letter Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos, sent to Eritrea’s foreign minister demanding that Eritrean soldiers withdraw. In the letter, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of what it described as an “incursion” along Ethiopia’s north-eastern border and said Eritrean forces were conducting joint military manoeuvres with rebel groups near the north-western frontier, alleging the activity amounted to “outright aggression.” Ethiopia said it was prepared to begin talks if Eritrea pulled back its forces, including discussions on maritime access through Eritrea’s Red Sea port of Assab.
In its response, Eritrea’s information ministry said Ethiopia’s accusations were baseless and part of what it described as a hostile campaign against Eritrea spanning more than two years. Eritrea said it did not want to fuel tensions through public exchanges, while denying the allegations contained in Ethiopia’s letter.
A long-running fault line between the neighbours
Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993 after decades of war. The countries later fought a border war from 1998 to 2000 that killed tens of thousands, and relations remained strained until a 2018 rapprochement led by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, which helped earn him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
Eritrea and Ethiopia were allies during Ethiopia’s 2020–2022 war in Tigray, when Eritrean forces supported Ethiopia’s federal army against Tigrayan fighters. Since the 2022 peace deal that ended the conflict, Eritrea has been increasingly at odds with Ethiopia, and officials on both sides have accused the other of destabilising moves.
New accusations revive fears of wider conflict
The latest exchange comes days after Abiy, speaking to Ethiopia’s parliament, publicly accused Eritrean troops for the first time of committing killings during the Tigray war, including in the historic city of Axum. Eritrea previously denied responsibility following reports of mass killings there in November 2020.
Ethiopia has also accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups inside Ethiopia, including claims that Eritrea is supplying weapons to rebels in northern regions opposed to the post-war settlement. Eritrea has denied those allegations and accused Ethiopia of using what it called false accusations to justify plans for renewed conflict.
The war of words has also been sharpened by Ethiopia’s push for access to the sea, with Abiy describing maritime access as a strategic necessity for the landlocked country — a stance Eritrea views as a direct threat given its Red Sea coastline and the port of Assab mentioned in Ethiopia’s letter.
