Eritrea Dismisses Ethiopia’s War Accusations as “Fabricated” Pretext for Hidden Agenda

Eritrea Rejects Ethiopia’s Accusations

Two days after Ethiopia issued a stark ultimatum demanding troop withdrawals and negotiations for Red Sea access, the Government of Eritrea has broken its silence with a scathing rejection of Addis Ababa’s claims.

In a press statement released today by the Ministry of Information, Asmara categorized the allegations of troop incursions and rebel support as “patently false and fabricated.” The brief but sharp communique suggests that Ethiopia’s aggressive stance is a manufactured crisis designed to serve “ulterior agendas”—a thinly veiled reference to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s renewed push for access to the port of Assab.

“Astounding” Tone and Substance

The statement, titled False Accusations to Serve Ulterior Agendas, expresses shock at the “tone and substance” of the letter sent by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos on February 7.

“The patently false and fabricated accusations against Eritrea issued by Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister yesterday is astounding,” the Ministry stated. By labeling the claims of border incursions and military maneuvers as total fabrications, Eritrea is effectively accusing the Ethiopian government of inventing a casus belli.

A “Spiral of Hostile Campaigns”

The response frames the current diplomatic crisis not as an isolated incident, but as the culmination of a deteriorating relationship that has been in freefall since the end of the Tigray War.

“Sadly, it constitutes yet another deplorable act in a pattern and spiral of hostile campaigns against Eritrea for more than two years now,” the statement read.

This timeline aligns with the fracturing of the alliance between the two nations following the 2022 Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. While Ethiopia moved to disarm the TPLF and reintegrate Tigray, Eritrea remained wary, maintaining a heavy military presence along the border which Ethiopia now claims has turned into an occupation.

The “Ulterior Agenda”: The Red Sea Question

Crucially, the Eritrean statement makes no direct mention of Ethiopia’s offer to negotiate for the port of Assab. Instead, it dismisses the entire premise of the Ethiopian letter as driven by an “overarching objective.”

Analysts interpret this as a categorical rejection of Ethiopia’s attempt to link peace negotiations with maritime access. By ignoring the offer of a “comprehensive settlement” and focusing solely on the “false accusations,” Asmara is signaling that its sovereignty and territorial integrity—including its coastline—are not up for debate.

Diplomatic Deadlock

Despite the heated rhetoric from Addis Ababa, Eritrea’s response ends with a characteristic refusal to engage in a public shouting match.

“The Government of Eritrea has no appetite for, or desire to, engage in meaningless acrimony to add fuel and exacerbate the situation,” the Ministry concluded.

This leaves the Horn of Africa in a precarious standoff. Ethiopia has formally demanded a withdrawal and threatened consequences, while Eritrea has denied the premise of the demand entirely, refusing to be drawn into negotiations it views as illegitimate. With Ethiopian troops on high alert and Eritrean forces accused of digging in, the “meaningless acrimony” Asmara seeks to avoid may soon be overtaken by events on the ground.