Ethiopia demands Eritrea 'immediately withdraw' troops from its territory

A bitter warfare of words has escalated further aft Ethiopia ordered neighbouring Eritrea to "immediately retreat its troops" from Ethiopian territory, with the brace seemingly inching towards a caller conflict.

Relations betwixt the 2 Horn of Africa countries person agelong been fraught.

In caller months, Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea of supporting insurgents connected Ethiopian ungraded — allegations Asmara denies.

"Developments implicit the past fewer days bespeak that the authorities of Eritrea has chosen the way of further escalation," Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos told his Eritrean counterpart successful a missive dated Saturday (February 8, 2026).

He demanded that Asmara "withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory and cease each forms of collaboration with rebel groups".

The "incursion" on its northwestern borders and associated subject operations determination were "not conscionable provocations but acts of outright aggression", helium said.

Timothewos added, however, that helium believed the "cycle of unit and mistrust" could inactive beryllium breached done diplomacy.

"If we person a affirmative effect to our morganatic request for respect for Ethiopia's sovereignty and territorial integrity" past Ethiopia volition beryllium "willing to prosecute successful good-faith negotiations", helium said.

The Eritrean authorities did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

Eritrea, 1 of the world's astir closed countries, gained independency successful 1993 aft decades of equipped conflict against Ethiopia.

They aboriginal fought a 1998-2000 borderline warfare successful which tens of thousands died.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed initially sought rapprochement with Eritrea erstwhile helium came to power, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize successful 2019.

The 2 governments cooperated against rebels from Ethiopia's Tigray portion during the 2020-2022 struggle but fell retired implicit the bid accord, from which Eritrea was excluded.

The Tigray civilian warfare killed astatine slightest 600,000 radical and the resulting bid deal, known arsenic the Pretoria Agreement, has ne'er afloat resolved the tensions.

Ethiopian authorities accidental Eritrea is "actively preparing for war" and backing equipped groups warring national forces.

Eritrea meantime accuses Ethiopia of seeking to prehend its larboard astatine Assab arsenic portion of the landlocked country's efforts to summation oversea access.