In current months, Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea of supporting insurgent fighters on Ethiopian soil.
Printed On 8 Feb 2026
Ethiopia’s overseas minister has accused neighbouring Eritrea of navy aggression and of supporting armed teams inside Ethiopian territory, amid rising tensions between the neighbours.
The 2 longstanding foes had waged warfare towards one another between 1998 and 2000, however signed a peace deal in 2018 and have become allies throughout Ethiopia’s two-year warfare towards regional authorities within the northern Tigray area.
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However Eritrea was not a celebration to the 2022 settlement that ended the Tigray battle, and relations between the 2 nations have plunged into acrimony since then.
In current months, Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea of supporting insurgent fighters on Ethiopian soil – allegations Asmara denies.
In a letter dated Saturday, February 7, Ethiopian International Minister Gedion Timothewos informed his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed that Eritrean forces had occupied Ethiopian territory alongside elements of their shared border for an prolonged interval.
He additionally accused Eritrea of offering materials assist to armed teams working inside Ethiopia.
“The incursion[s] of Eritrean troops additional into Ethiopian territory … should not simply provocations however acts of outright aggression,” his letter mentioned.
Timothewos demanded that Asmara “withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory and stop all types of collaboration with insurgent teams”.
He additionally mentioned that Ethiopia remained open to dialogue if Eritrea revered its territorial integrity. He mentioned Addis Ababa was prepared to interact in good-faith negotiations on all issues of mutual curiosity, together with maritime affairs and entry to the Pink Sea via the Eritrean port of Assab.
There was no quick remark from Eritrea on the letter.
Eritrea, which gained independence in 1993 after a long time of armed battle with Ethiopia, has nevertheless, bristled at repeated public declarations by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that his landlocked nation has a proper to sea entry. Many in Eritrea, which lies on the Pink Sea, view his feedback as an implicit menace of navy motion.
