On February 17, 2026, diplomatic and local sources reported a significant buildup of Ethiopian and Eritrean troops along their shared borders, dramatically escalating fears of a regional conflagration. This military surge comes amid deteriorating trust between the former allies following Ethiopia's accusations that Eritrea is providing logistical support to Fano insurgents in the Amhara region. Simultaneously, the Ethiopian Media Authority has come under fire for revoking the reporting licenses of three Reuters journalists. The crackdown followed a February 10 Reuters investigation alleging that Ethiopia, with foreign financial backing, is hosting a secret training camp for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Benishangul-Gumuz region. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement on February 16 calling for the immediate restoration of the journalists' accreditation, describing the move as part of a 'troubling pattern of repressive regulatory action.' As the AU summit concludes, analysts warn that the government’s efforts to mask internal collapses through media censorship and regional saber-rattling could inadvertently trigger a wider Horn of Africa conflict.