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Increasing worries have emerged about the chance of armed conflict among East African neighbors, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile language has intensified in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has triggered a intense rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his country's maritime access was an vital issue, comments that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have often been tense. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it cut off from the sea.

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

Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and hinted at the intention to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, Abiy said the country's "error" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "corrected in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrea's Response to the Statements

Despite continuous warnings from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been restricted to brief comments on social media from Communications Head Yemane G..

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 previous domains.

The information ministry cautioned on recently that moves to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

So far, there are no reports of significant troop deployments in the border areas between the both nations.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, government media has shown completion events of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The director of staff section of the military, General Hachalu, recently said in an conversation that the army was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Past Origins of the Dispute

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

After Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the UK forces before becoming a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

However in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this agreement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended armed struggle occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they clashed over the precise positioning of their shared boundary, leading to conflict in 1998.

Although this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a declaration that the hostilities was over – a decision that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The neighboring states were then partners in the country's recent armed struggle in Tigray.

However ties have subsequently deteriorated once more.