Eritrea rejects Ethiopia’s accusations of military incursions

Eritrea has rejected what it described as “patently false and fabricated accusations” by Ethiopia, following a formal letter from Addis Ababa alleging Eritrean military incursions and support for rebel groups inside Ethiopian territory.

Eritrea’s Ministry of Information said claims made by Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos were “astounding in tone and substance,” and questioned their motivation and broader political objectives. Asmara characterized the allegations as part of a sustained campaign of hostile political and diplomatic actions directed against Eritrea over the past two years.

“As underlined before, the Government of Eritrea has no appetite for, or desire to, engage in meaningless acrimony to add fuel and exacerbate the situation,” the ministry said, stopping short of directly addressing the specific allegations outlined in Ethiopia’s letter.

Addis Ababa accused Eritrea of violating Ethiopian sovereignty by occupying territory along their shared border and collaborating with armed rebel groups operating inside the country. The letter called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces and urged dialogue to resolve longstanding disputes.

In the communication addressed to Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, Gedion warned that Eritrea’s recent military activities represented a serious escalation amounting to direct aggression. He alleged that Eritrean troops have been stationed inside Ethiopian territory for an extended period despite repeated requests for their withdrawal, and claimed that Eritrean forces had recently advanced further into northeastern Ethiopia. According to Gedion, Eritrean troops have also conducted coordinated military operations with “rebel factions” near Ethiopia’s northwestern frontier.

Gedion demanded that Eritrea immediately remove its forces and end all cooperation with “insurgent groups.” He suggested that broader negotiations could address outstanding bilateral issues, including Ethiopia’s long-standing interest in access to the Red Sea through Eritrea’s port of Assab.

Relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbors have remained fragile despite a 2018 peace agreement that formally ended decades of hostility.

The current dispute has intensified amid renewed fighting in parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, with clashes reported in several contested areas and sustained guerrilla warfare by Amhara militias against Ethiopian defense forces. Ethiopian officials have accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups in the Amhara region and working with factions linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) “to undermine the state.”

These allegations were raised internationally last October, when Gedion sent a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres accusing Eritrea of coordinating with the TPLF and preparing for renewed military action against Ethiopia. Eritrea has categorically denied the claims, arguing that Ethiopia’s leadership is seeking Red Sea access through pressure and coercion, a move Asmara says threatens its territorial integrity.