{"id":46849,"date":"2025-03-31T10:03:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T14:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/old-video-shows-eritrean-troops-returning-from-ethiopia-not-heading-to-war\/31\/03\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-03-31T10:03:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T14:03:56","slug":"old-video-shows-eritrean-troops-returning-from-ethiopia-not-heading-to-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/old-video-shows-eritrean-troops-returning-from-ethiopia-not-heading-to-war\/31\/03\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Old video shows Eritrean troops returning from Ethiopia, not heading to war"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\"><strong>Rising military tensions between neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea have put the Horn of Africa region on edge. A Facebook video of trucks filled with soldiers has been shared with a claim that the footage shows the Eritrean army recently crossing into Ethiopia. However, this is false: the footage is more than two years old and shows Eritrean troops returning home after completing a military operation in Ethiopia during the Tigray war, which ended in November 2022.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/mvau.lt\/media\/eff480aa-9da1-481e-84f5-95b0d669b8d3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:post,;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">post,<\/a> published in Afaan Oromoo on March 23, 2025, opens with the words \u201cbreaking news\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span>Screenshot of the false post, taken on March 26, 2025 <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post claims: \u201cAt this moment, the Eritrean army has crossed the Ethiopian border and is marching towards Tigray. The Eritrean army has made an agreement with the TDF and Fano forces and is on its way to Tigray to fight the Ethiopian federal army.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tigray is a region in northern Ethiopia bordering Eritrea. TDF refers to the Tigray Defence Forces, a paramilitary group that fought against Ethiopia during the two-year Tigray war that ended in November 2022 following a peace deal signed in Pretoria. Fano is a paramilitary group in the Amhara region that has been at war with the Ethiopian army since July 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post contains a minute-long video showing soldiers being transported through a town while people wave at them from the roadside.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Similar posts were also shared on Facebook <a href=\"https:\/\/mvau.lt\/media\/d927ec7a-a400-4519-9628-cef44fa417b8\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/mvau.lt\/media\/8d65bf79-c15f-4193-bbdf-f5c674e6d278\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Regional tension<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tensions between rival factions within the TDF are threatening the fragile <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barrons.com\/news\/ethiopia-to-name-new-interim-tigray-leader-after-rivalry-tensions-4f7376dd\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:peace deal;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">peace deal<\/a> in Tigray and raising the prospect of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20250313-fears-grow-of-renewed-conflict-in-ethiopia-s-tigray\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:new war;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">new war<\/a> between Ethiopia and Eritrea (archived <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/GUG7-63N4\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/BVW4-SFGY\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In this context, the post claims the Eritrean army crossed the border and joined forces with the TDF and Fano to fight against Ethiopia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Although the Eritrean army was Abiy&#8217;s ally during the Tigray War, relations between the two countries have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barrons.com\/news\/ethiopia-leader-says-won-t-invade-neighbouring-eritrea-913d4759\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:deteriorated;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">deteriorated<\/a>\u00a0(archived <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/GB7L-EFMK\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/3\/25\/are-ethiopia-and-eritrea-on-the-brink-of-war\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:report;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">report <\/a>on March 25, 2025, Eritrea called on young people to enlist in the army, while Ethiopia deployed troops in the border area (archived\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/3A22-FJFV\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">However, the footage does not show the Eritrean army crossing the Ethiopian border in March 2025.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\"><strong>Army return<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">AFP Fact Check used the video verification tool <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invid-project.eu\/tools-and-services\/invid-verification-plugin\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:InVID-WeVerify;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">InVID-WeVerify<\/a> to conduct <a href=\"https:\/\/factcheck.afp.com\/doc.afp.com.36RH9NV\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:reverse image searches;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">reverse image searches<\/a> on keyframes from the footage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The results show that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=739280494182036\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:footage;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">footage<\/a> was published on Facebook more than two years ago, on January 25, 2023. It was originally more than three minutes long (archived <a href=\"https:\/\/mvau.lt\/media\/af546637-3c08-40ef-9e25-cdfd97d982b3\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The footage is captioned in Tigrigna, a language spoken in Eritrea and in Ethiopia\u2019s Tigray region. It translates to: \u201cA proud welcome to the hero of the Eritrean Defence Forces after their successful return from the peacekeeping operation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The same video was also shared <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/meblkiflay\/videos\/3411113939178317\/?__cft__[0]=AZVKNyDAUu4AUludopL8Abvk2Nl3riWgdabfQzbWnT710vimRWA-U2fDysJXPBiId6SFxlN2c6dYQ_U6E1mHSnrWTL_C_aO7CUMtOfo7fjQzN59nP8NZsM19_AFZY49si9SmdxAci8Jv-uYtbHm2eTAhKOm74PF62MxCwltljduXZB0CEhtA7wSQiVKgwCPFxpbNQumT2vnpJvGorJIOF6KX&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here <\/a>on Facebook on the same date (archived <a href=\"https:\/\/mvau.lt\/media\/7ef28a56-4b16-4540-8b20-1ade84431c49\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">At the time, several international media outlets (<a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/4YQQ-48CB\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/eritrean-troops-seen-leaving-towns-in-ethiopias-tigray\/a-64479509\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sabcnews.com\/sabcnews\/eritrean-troops-seen-leaving-ethiopian-town-of-shire\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here);elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here) <\/a>reported on the withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Ethiopia following the signing of the peace agreement in Pretoria, which ended the Tigray war (archived <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/V8T5-2CWF\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/4YQQ-48CB\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/perma.cc\/Q6G8-T5TN\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The clip in the false post corresponds to a segment of the original video from 2\u201925\u201d to 3\u201925\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A comparison of the vehicles in the videos shows they bear Eritrean flags and identical banners in Amharic reading: \u201cThe joint Ethiopian-Eritrean army is a foundation for African peace, and the unity of Ethiopia and Eritrea shall be strengthened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This refers to the Eritrean alliance with the Ethiopian government during the Tigray war.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"&lt;span&gt;Screenshots of the original 2023 footage showing banners attached to vehicles describing peaceful relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea at the time&lt;\/span&gt;\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"317\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/nWDzn8JkLuT4Kc7ABR2fXg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTMxNw--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/afp_factcheck_us_713\/b4ec8450f92e91543b93ca734d778498\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span>Screenshots of the original 2023 footage showing banners attached to vehicles describing peaceful relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea at the time<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Despite the growing tensions, there have been no credible reports of Eritrean forces recently crossing the Ethiopian border.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/old-video-shows-eritrean-troops-131956822.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rising military tensions between neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea have put the Horn of Africa region on edge. A Facebook video of trucks<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/old-video-shows-eritrean-troops-returning-from-ethiopia-not-heading-to-war\/31\/03\/2025\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/afp_factcheck_us_713\/f98ad6e4a96cdc22eef33fa895dc15db","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46849"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46849"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46849\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}