Arab and Western nations called on Eritrea to withdraw its troops from the border with Djibouti following clashes that killed at least six Djiboutian soldiers and wounded over 50 others.

Officials said the first fighting for a decade between the Horn of Africa neighbors, two of the continent's smallest states, stopped late on Wednesday. Troops from both sides had exchanged fire since Tuesday along a part of their border that overlooks strategic shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

The UN Security Council urged both sides, "in particular Eritrea," to commit to a cease-fire, show maximum restraint and pull back forces to previous positions.

Djibouti hosts French and U.S. military bases and is the main route to the sea for Eritrea's archfoe and Washington's top regional ally, Ethiopia. France said its military was providing logistical support to Djibouti.

Africa's youngest nation, Eritrea has fractious ties with the West, which accuses it of backing Somali insurgents and expelling UN peacekeepers on its border with Ethiopia.

The Arab League called on Eritrea to withdraw its forces immediately from the border area, stressing the need to respect Djibouti's sovereignty, Egypt's state news agency, MENA, said.

The United States and Ethiopia have blamed Eritrea for the clashes. France urged Eritrea to be "cooperative" and let a neutral party shuttle between Djibouti and Asmara for talks.

The Djiboutian Defense Ministry put the toll from fighting at six dead, eight seriously wounded and 54 with minor wounds. A Djiboutian military official said earlier that nine soldiers had been killed and 60 wounded.

There was no independent verification of events from the remote border area.

Without confirming or denying the clashes, Eritrea has dismissed Djibouti's versions as "concocted animosity."

"The Eritrean government ... will under no circumstance get involved in an invitation of squabbles and acts of hostility designed to undermine good neighborliness," it said.