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Mounting apprehensions have emerged about the chance of military engagement among Horn of Africa neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as confrontational language has intensified in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has provoked a heated rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his country's maritime access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have regularly been difficult. After a long-standing struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a extensive Red Sea coastline, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it landlocked.

In 1998, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people died.

Current Comments from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and suggested the desire to capture it through military means.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "rectified in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Statements

Amid ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been restricted to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for sea access describing it as "risky" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of retaking former lands.

Eritrean authorities alerted on mid-September that efforts to validate "flagrant aggression" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

There have been few indications of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the both nations.

However, in the country, national TV has displayed graduation ceremonies of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Historical Roots of the Conflict

For decades from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by Italian rulers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British administration before turning into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

However in the early 1960s the ruler terminated this arrangement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict followed, ending with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, causing hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at odds.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders signed a statement that the conflict was over – a decision that gained the Prime Minister the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in Tigray.

Yet relations have later worsened anew.