Asmara's Ministry of Information said
in a statement that war-like rhetoric from Ethiopia's main party in the ruling
coalition -- the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) -- had increased.
Eritrea, which broke away from Ethiopia
in 1991 after a brutal 30-year independence struggle, remains on an effective
war-footing with Addis Ababa after a return to war in 1998.
"The TPLF's sabre-rattling has
been a common staple throughout winter. And this has been ratcheted up in the
past few weeks," said the information ministry statement, released Monday.
"The TPLF regime is resorting to
tactics of covert intimidation to dissuade various circles from associating
with Eritrea. It has gone beyond these hints to openly assert that, 'it has
secured a green-light from the United States to unleash war against
Eritrea.'"
There was no immediate reaction from
Ethiopia, but Addis Ababa has previously dismissed such statements as
propaganda.
Eritrea is struggling to stem a flood
of refugees from its borders to Europe, an exodus attributed to gross human
rights violations in the hermit state.
Eritreans make up the third largest
number of refugees trying to reach Europe, after Syrians and Afghans.
Asmara however says its controversial
policy of decades-long national service -- a key reason some 5,000 people flee
each month -- is due to threats from Ethiopia.
But Asmara said its progress had
sparked "frustration bordering on insanity in the camp of the TPLF and its
key sponsors." Source ( AFP )
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