Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of border incursions, supporting armed groups

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of occupying its territory and supporting armed groups, calling the alleged actions a violation of its sovereignty and a recent escalation along their shared border, according to a letter issued by Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos, in the letter addressed to his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed, stated that Eritrean forces had been present inside Ethiopian territory for a "considerable period" and that Asmara had provided direct material support to militant groups operating in Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa said recent developments, including what it described as further troop movements and joint military activities with rebel groups near border areas, amounted to "acts of outright aggression," adding that it had been urging the violation of its territorial integrity to be rectified.

Ethiopia formally requested the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean troops from its territory and an end to all forms of collaboration with armed groups, the letter said.

At the same time, Ethiopia said it remained open to dialogue and diplomatic engagement to resolve longstanding disputes between the two Horn of Africa neighbors, including a willingness to enter good-faith negotiations on a comprehensive settlement of issues of mutual interest, including maritime affairs and access to the sea.

Eritrea has previously rejected similar accusations.

Last week, Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said Ethiopia's leadership had earlier praised the Eritrean army during the war but was now making false accusations to justify a potential conflict linked to calls for "sovereign access to the sea," in a post on US social media company X.

Eritrea has not publicly responded to the Feb. 7 letter.

Relations between the two countries have been tense at various points since a 1998-2000 border war, with periodic accusations and security concerns along their frontier.