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Growing apprehensions exist about the possibility of military engagement among East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as hostile rhetoric has escalated in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a heated verbal exchange.

PM Abiy Ahmed first openly declared in last year that his nation's sea access was an crucial concern, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have regularly been difficult. Following a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, making it landlocked.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Recent Statements from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have directly stated ownership of Eritrea's southern port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the frontier - and implied the desire to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrea's Answer to the Threats

Despite persistent threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Information Minister the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "expansionism" – a strategy of reclaiming previous domains.

Eritrean authorities alerted on 16 September that attempts to validate "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Ground

Currently, there are few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

However, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast completion events of thousands of cadets at various military training camps.

The director of human resources department of the military, the officer, stated recently in an interview that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Previous Origins of the Conflict

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British administration before turning into a federated part of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this system and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year internal conflict followed, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then endorsed by voters in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments 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.

Although this ended in a truce in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the neighbors remained at odds.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the hostilities was concluded – a decision that earned Abiy the prestigious award.

The both administrations were then allies in the country's recent internal conflict in Tigray.

However ties have subsequently deteriorated anew.