Ethiopia Urges Eritrea to Withdraw Forces

Ethiopia on Sunday urged neighboring Eritrea to immediately withdraw its forces from Ethiopian territory, accusing Asmara of cross-border incursions and escalating military activity.

Addis Ababa condemned what it described as repeated troop movements into its territory, as well as joint military exercises between Eritrean forces and rebel groups fighting the federal government, amid rising tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos said in a letter dated Saturday to his Eritrean counterpart that recent developments show that the Eritrean government has chosen a path of escalation.

He formally called on Eritrea to immediately pull its forces out of Ethiopian land and to end all forms of cooperation with armed rebel groups.

The dispute adds to growing regional instability in the Horn of Africa, raising concerns over a potential wider confrontation between the two countries.