Washington calls for 'de-escalation' as Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions fuel war fears
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Washington calls for 'de-escalation' as Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions fuel war fears")
An Ethiopian Airlines employee assists a passenger arriving to board a flight at Mekelle Alula Aba Nega International Airport after Ethiopian Airlines resumed services disrupted by conflict in Mekelle Photograph: (AFP)
The US urges Ethiopia and Eritrea to de-escalate rising tensions as troop movements and renewed fighting in Tigray fuel fears of war
The United States on Wednesday urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to pursue ‘de-escalation’ as tensions between the neighbouring Horn of Africa countries fuel concerns about a possible renewed conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the appeal during a phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, stressing the importance of respecting national borders and avoiding military escalation.
According to a statement from Rubio's office, he stressed that all countries in the Horn of Africa must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbours and avoid cross-border incursions. Eritrea, which gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has maintained deeply strained relations with its former governing power. Both countries have accused each other of attempting to destabilize the other's government. The neighbours fought a devastating border war between 1998 and 2000, which killed tens of thousands of people.
"The Secretary supports de-escalation by all sides," the US State Department said in a statement. “The only sustainable solution to internal and external tensions is achieved through dialogue and engagement as agreed to in the 2018 Ethiopia-Eritrea peace framework.” The diplomatic appeal comes as military activity intensifies in northern Ethiopia. Ethiopian federal forces and allied fighters are advancing towards a town near the Eritrean border, according to a commander from a pro-government militia and a local resident who spoke on Wednesday.
Concerns have also grown following reports that thousands of Eritrean soldiers were deployed to Tigray last week, according to a security source. Tigray, Ethiopia's northernmost region, had previously been governed by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The group resumed fighting against Ethiopian federal forces in the north last month, raising fears of renewed instability in the region.
