The U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali regarding the escalating conflict in the region.

Secretary Rubio and the Ethiopian Prime Minister discussed heightened tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Now the U.S Secretary of state supports de-escalation by all sides.

Rubio believes 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 Secretary stressed that all countries in the Horn of Africa must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors and avoid cross-border incursions.

Marco Rubio emphasized that the region cannot tolerate more conflict.

The Ethiopian War Security Updates so far …

Here are the Key Takeaways as far as the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia is concerned

Northern Axis.

Federal forces advanced all the way to the Eritrean border at Zalambessa after advancing north from Adigrat since October 10, as Tigrayan and alleged Eritrean forces retreated.

Central Axis.

Federal forces captured Adwa on October 11 after Tigrayan rebel forces withdrew toward the Ethiopian border town Rama. Federal forces have also advanced into the interior of rural central Tigray from both the Adigrat and Adwa axes.

Northwestern Axis.

Ethiopian federal forces captured Axum on October 12 after advancing from Shire along the B30 highway.

Western Axis.

Federal forces have advanced toward Sheraro in northwestern Tigray, forcing Tigrayan rebel and alleged Eritrean forces to retreat toward Badme, Eritrea.

Southern Axis.

Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)–affiliated media claimed that the TPLF forces conducted two ambushes targeting Ethiopian federal forces near the Amhara border in the Kola Tembien Mountains.

Eastern Axis.

Isolated and unverified reports claimed that the Ethiopian military has launched a military buildup in Afar region along the A1 highway to Assab. Isolated reports claimed that Ethiopian and Eritrean forces clashed near the border, although some aspects of these claims have already been disproven.

Major Domestic Political Developments.

A high-level federal delegation visited Mekele and Adigrat, as federal officials began to articulate plans to reestablish federal political control in Tigray and facilitate a return to normalcy. Imprisoned high-ranking former TPLF leaders escaped from TPLF custody and fled to federally controlled Mekele on October 12.

Regional Activity.

Eritrea wrote a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on October 10 accusing Ethiopia of effectively declaring war and calling for deterrent sanctions on Ethiopia in response to Ethiopia’s earlier letter to the UNSC on October 8.