Ethiopia demands Eritrea ‘immediately withdraw’ troops from its territory

Ethiopia demands Eritrea ‘immediately withdraw’ troops from its territory

A diplomatic crisis is escalating among Ethiopia and Eritrea, with Ethiopia traumatic the “immediate withdrawal” of Eritrean troops from its territory. In a sharply worded letter dated Saturday, Ethiopian overseas Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrea of in addition escalation and “acts of outright aggression.”

The letter, addressed to Eritrea’s overseas Minister, demands that Asmara “withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory and end all varieties of collaboration with rise up businesses.” Timothewos characterized current Eritrean military operations alongside Ethiopia’s northwestern border as “not simply provocations but acts of outright aggression.” He said, however, that Ethiopia stays open to “suitable-belief negotiations” if Eritrea respects its sovereignty.

Eritrea’s authorities has now not issued a direct public reaction. the two Horn of Africa international locations have a records of combat, which include a bloody border conflict from 1998-2000. family members progressed in short after Ethiopian prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took workplace, a reconciliation that earned him the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. The allies cooperated throughout Ethiopia’s Tigray civil warfare (2020-2022) but later fell out after Eritrea was once excluded from the subsequent peace deal.

modern-day tensions are fueled by way of mutual accusations. Ethiopia alleges Eritrea is funding rebel corporations and “actively getting ready for hostilities.” Eritrea, in flip, has accused landlocked Ethiopia of seeking to capture its crimson Sea port of Assab as a part of Addis Ababa’s push for sea get entry to. The exchange raises fears of a capability new military fighting between the lengthy-time adversaries.