Eritrea Denies Ethiopian Claims of Military Incursion Amid Rising Tensions

Tue Feb 10 2026 00:43:31 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Eritrea has rebuffed accusations from Ethiopia that its troops have crossed into Ethiopian territory, labeling the claims as unfounded and part of an ongoing pattern of hostility.

Eritrean officials have denied allegations from Ethiopia regarding troop movements over the border, asserting that the claims are fabricated. Ethiopia's foreign minister accused Eritrea of aggression and military cooperation with rebels, which Eritrea dismissed as part of a hostile narrative. Tensions remain high as the nations, with a history of conflict, face an uncertain future with fears of renewed hostilities.

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 demanded the withdrawal of Eritrean soldiers.

The letter also accused Eritrea of outright aggression, claiming it was conducting joint military maneuvers with Ethiopian rebels in the north and supplying them with weapons. In its response, Eritrea stated that this accusation is part of a spiral of hostile campaigns against Eritrea for more than two years.

There has been a long history of tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which split off from its larger neighbor three decades ago, raising fears of renewed conflict.

The nations engaged in a border war from 1998 to 2000 that resulted in over 100,000 fatalities. Although relations eased after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited Asmara in 2018, the situation has rapidly deteriorated once again.

Ethiopia claimed that Eritrea is supporting rebels in Tigray who oppose the peace deal ending the civil war, alleging recent military incursions and coordinated efforts with adversarial groups. Eritrea has refuted these allegations and criticized Ethiopia for fabricating justifications for potential military action.

Further complicating matters, Ethiopia's recent calls for access to the sea, which it views as a crucial need following Eritrean independence, have added to the rising tension between the former enemies.