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Eritrea has dismissed Ethiopia’s demand to withdraw its troops from Ethiopian territory, describing the allegation as false and politically motivated.
Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel on Monday stated that the accusations were entirely fabricated.
He described the claims as astonishing in tone and substance, suggesting they formed part of what he called a sustained hostile campaign against Eritrea over the past two years.
“The patently false and fabricated accusations against Eritrea, is astounding in its tone and substance, underlying motivation and overarching objective.”
He added that Eritrea had no desire to engage in further acrimony or escalate tensions.
On Saturday 7 February 2026, Ethiopia accused Asmara of deploying forces inside its territory and collaborating with rebel groups along the northwestern border, calling on Eritrea to pull out its troops immediately.
Addis Ababa also alleged that Eritrea was backing insurgents, particularly in the Amhara region.
Relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbours have long been strained. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after decades of armed struggle, but the countries later fought a devastating border war from 1998 to 2000 that killed tens of thousands.
Although Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed initially pursued reconciliation with Eritrea, an effort that earned him the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, ties have since deteriorated.
The two governments cooperated against Tigrayan forces during Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 civil war, which the African Union says claimed at least 600,000 lives.
However, Eritrea was excluded from the Pretoria peace agreement that ended the conflict, a deal that required the withdrawal of foreign troops.
Eritrean forces have remained in parts of the Tigray region, where tensions have persisted.
