Ethiopia presses Eritrea to pull back troops amid border tensions

Ethiopia has demanded Eritrea withdraw troops it says are inside Ethiopian territory, accusing Asmara of outright aggression and of conducting joint maneuvers with rebel groups on Ethiopia’s frontiers. Addis Ababa linked the standoff to talks over access to the sea via the port of Assab and warned that a troop withdrawal could pave the way for negotiations, noting a long history of border clashes and recent shifts during the Tigray conflict. Eritrea has denied crossing the border, as tensions remain high.