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Growing worries have emerged regarding the chance of armed conflict between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive language has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister previously announced in the previous year that his country's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Diplomatic connections between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a decades-long struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a long maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, leaving it without sea access.

In 1998, a military clash erupted in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Statements from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the frontier - and implied the desire to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Statements

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been confined to concise remarks on social media from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea describing it as "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a strategy of reclaiming lost territory.

Eritrean authorities alerted on 16 September that moves to validate "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

There have been little evidence of major military movements in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in the country, state television has shown completion events of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The head of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an conversation that the military was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our enemies".

Historical Roots of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by colonial powers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the British military before evolving into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

Yet in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor terminated this arrangement and the region became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict ensued, finishing with military reversal in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then endorsed by voters in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their shared boundary, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries stayed at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders signed a announcement that the conflict was over – a action that earned Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then partners in the country's previous armed struggle in the northern region.

But diplomatic connections have since broken down anew.