A bitter war of words has escalated further after Ethiopia ordered neighbouring Eritrea to "immediately withdraw its troops" from Ethiopian territory, with the pair seemingly inching towards a new conflict.
Ethiopia: its past and current challenges
Relations between the two Horn of Africa countries have long been fraught.
In recent months, Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea of supporting insurgents on Ethiopian soil — allegations Asmara denies.
"Developments over the last few days indicate that the government of Eritrea has chosen the path of further escalation," Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos told his Eritrean counterpart in a letter dated Saturday (February 8, 2026).
