Eritrea's absence from the peace talks was noted by many news outlets, both before[1][26] and after the agreement was signed.[3][4][5][42] Eritrean authorities made no statements on the agreement, nor did they respond to most requests for comment.[43] It was also not clear if they would agree to the ceasefire,[8] and it was suggested that President Isaias Afwerki's long-standing antagonism to the TPLF would disincentivize him from withdrawing Eritrean forces.[9][10] When asked by Reuters, Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said that he had no comment, as "he had just received the documents."[36] Eritrea was firmly on the side of the Ethiopian government throughout the war, and was attributed responsibility for high profile atrocities such as the Axum massacre.[44][45]