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Increasing worries exist regarding the potential of military engagement between East African countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as hostile rhetoric has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his government's maritime access was an crucial concern, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the both governments have frequently been strained. After a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it landlocked.

Five years later, a territorial conflict started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Current Statements from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the intention to capture it through military means.

In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "corrected soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrean Answer to the Claims

Despite ongoing warnings from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to concise remarks on X from Communications Head the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for sea access calling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a policy of claiming back previous domains.

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

Defense Activities on the Region

There have been no reports of major military movements in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, national TV has broadcast completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The director of human resources department of the defense force, the officer, commented lately in an discussion that the military was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Previous Background of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by Italian rulers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the UK forces before becoming a federated part of Ethiopia.

Yet in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor ended this system and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then approved by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, resulting in conflict in 1998.

Though this concluded in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations continued at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The two agreed to a statement that the conflict was finished – a decision that won Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then partners in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 internal conflict in Tigray.

However ties have subsequently deteriorated again.