Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea

Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea

have escalated dramatically in recent days. Formal diplomatic accusations and the complete collapse of the fragile alliance forged during the recent Tigray War characterize this development. In an official letter dated February 7, 2026, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrea of ​​invading troops deep into Ethiopian territory and supporting rebel groups. Eritrea rejected these accusations, calling them false. Eritrean troops have been occupying Ethiopian territory for some time. The recent further movements constitute open aggression. Ethiopia is accused of forming an alliance (“Tsimdo”) with a hardline faction of the TPLF and of supporting the Amhara Fano rebels with funding, weapons, and direct participation in offensives. Ethiopia demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops. In return, Ethiopia offered negotiations regarding access to the sea, particularly via the port of Assab. Eritrea's response to this statement, issued on February 9, 2026, was, of course, a denial. Eritrea rejected the accusations as "false," "fabricated," and "reprehensible," accusing Ethiopia of a two-year hostile campaign intended to justify a planned war. Eritrea's position is that it has no interest in escalation and warned that the rhetoric will only worsen the crisis. Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia in the Tigray War (2020–2022) but was excluded from the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement. Despite the agreement, Eritrean troops remained stationed in Tigray. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently accused Eritrean forces of carrying out massacres in Aksum during the war, accusations which Asmara denies. The Aksum massacre occurred in November 2020 during the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. Eritrean troops, fighting alongside Ethiopian forces, systematically killed hundreds of civilians in the historically significant city. Abiy describes access to the port as an “existential” necessity. Eritrea views these ambitions as a threat of invasion. The conflict has its roots in a border war from 1998–2000 that claimed over 100,000 lives, but which, despite a 2018 peace agreement, has never been fully resolved. The situation is characterized by a dangerous exchange of words, with both sides accusing each other of preparing for conflict. The former "alliance" from the Tigray War is now considered broken and has transformed into a highly volatile conflict zone. Many observers warn of a possible escalation into a new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which would further jeopardize the fragile stability in the Horn of Africa, especially given the unresolved issues in Tigray, Amhara, and the region as a whole. https://eastafricanpolicyobserver.org/news/tensions-between-ethiopia-and-eritrea-flare-up-again-theeastafrican-co-ke/