Ethiopia demands Eritrea withdraw troops from disputed border areas, calling actions "aggression."

Ethiopia has demanded Eritrea immediately withdraw its troops from disputed border areas, accusing Asmara of military incursions and supporting rebel groups, calling the actions "acts of aggression." The Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos, cited escalating tensions and urged Eritrea to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, while leaving room for diplomacy. Eritrea has not responded. The rift marks a sharp reversal from earlier rapprochement efforts, including a 2018 peace agreement and cooperation during the Tigray conflict, which ended in 2022. Relations have deteriorated since Eritrea was excluded from the Pretoria peace deal. The two nations remain locked in a decades-old dispute rooted in a 1998–2000 border war that killed tens of thousands.