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Growing apprehensions have emerged about the potential of military engagement between Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in last year that his nation's sea access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea ignored.

Ties between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a military clash started in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopian Leadership

Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and suggested the intention to take it by force.

In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrean Answer to the Claims

In the face of ongoing warnings from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "expansionism" – a policy of retaking previous domains.

The information ministry warned on 16 September that moves to justify "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Ground

Currently, there are no reports of major military movements in the boundary zones between the both nations.

Nonetheless, in the country, government media has displayed graduation ceremonies of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The leader of personnel division of the military, General Hachalu, commented lately in an conversation that the military was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Past Origins of the Tension

For more than half a century from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by Italian rulers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this arrangement and Eritrea became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year civil war ensued, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by the population in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their common border, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Though this finished in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries stayed at loggerheads.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the conflict was over – a action that earned the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The two governments were then allies in Ethiopia's recent internal conflict in the northern region.

However ties have later worsened once more.