Eritrea has hit back at its neighbour Ethiopia describing accusations that its troops were on Ethiopian territory as false. On Sunday, a letter sent from Ethiopia's foreign minister to his Eritrean counterpart demanded that the soldiers withdraw. It also accused Eritrea of outright aggression saying it was conducting joint manoeuvres with Ethiopian rebels in the north and supplying them with weapons. In its response, Eritrea said this was part of a spiral of hostile campaigns against Eritrea for more than two years. There has long been a history of tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which split off from its larger neighbour three decades ago, leading to fears of a renewed conflict.
The countries fought a border war between 1998-2000 in which more than 100,000 people died. A peace deal was never fully implemented, and relations only eased after Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, travelled to the Eritrean capital, Asmara, in 2018. However, that fragile alliance has soured again as conflicting allegations arise. Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos wrote that the Eritrean government's choice in recent events points toward escalation, highlighting the potential for military confrontation. Moreover, tensions revolve around Ethiopia's desire for access to the sea, which Abiy has termed an existential issue for his landlocked nation. The Eritrean government responded by stating these accusations were patently false and fabricated, emphasizing their lack of interest in escalating the conflict.
The countries fought a border war between 1998-2000 in which more than 100,000 people died. A peace deal was never fully implemented, and relations only eased after Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, travelled to the Eritrean capital, Asmara, in 2018. However, that fragile alliance has soured again as conflicting allegations arise. Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos wrote that the Eritrean government's choice in recent events points toward escalation, highlighting the potential for military confrontation. Moreover, tensions revolve around Ethiopia's desire for access to the sea, which Abiy has termed an existential issue for his landlocked nation. The Eritrean government responded by stating these accusations were patently false and fabricated, emphasizing their lack of interest in escalating the conflict.
