In a sharp escalation of regional tensions, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally demanded that the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) immediately withdraw from its territory. Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos, in a letter delivered earlier this month, characterized the recent Eritrean troop movements as 'outright aggression.' Ethiopia alleges that Eritrean forces have made fresh incursions into the northern Tigray and Amhara regions, reportedly to fund and mobilize regional rebel groups like the Fano militia. Asmara has forcefully rejected these claims as 'false and fabricated,' asserting that they are a political pretext for Ethiopia to seize sovereign access to the Red Sea port of Assab. International observers warn that the breakdown in relations between the former allies threatens to undo the fragile stability achieved since the 2022 Pretoria peace deal.