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Mounting worries are present about the potential of military engagement between Horn of Africa neighbours, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive discourse has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has triggered a intense rhetorical conflict.

PM Abiy Ahmed first openly declared in the previous year that his government's sea access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have often been tense. After a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it landlocked.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict broke out in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Recent Statements from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed sovereignty of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and suggested the desire to take it by force.

Recently, Abiy said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "by force".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

Despite persistent challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to brief comments on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for maritime entry calling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a policy of reclaiming previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that attempts to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Ground

Currently, there are few indications of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has shown training completions of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The head of staff section of the military, General Hachalu, stated recently in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Past Origins of the Conflict

For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was governed by colonial powers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the British military before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended civil war followed, finishing with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then confirmed by the population in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the exact location of their common border, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Even though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors continued at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the hostilities was finished – a decision that gained the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The both administrations were then cooperators in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 armed struggle in Tigray.

Yet diplomatic connections have later worsened anew.