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Increasing concerns exist about the chance of armed conflict involving East African neighbors, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as confrontational rhetoric has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for passage to the Red Sea through Eritrea has triggered a intense war of words.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in 2023 that his country's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrea ignored.

Ties between the neighboring nations have regularly been difficult. Following a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it without sea access.

Five years later, a military clash started in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Recent Statements from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the intention to seize it militarily.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrea's Response to the Threats

Despite continuous challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Information Minister Yemane G..

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for sea access calling it "dangerous" and a "negative policy" of "expansionism" – a strategy of reclaiming former lands.

The information ministry warned on 16 September that moves to justify "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".

Defense Preparations on the Border

There have been little evidence of significant troop deployments in the boundary zones between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in the country, national TV has shown graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The director of staff section of the armed forces, the officer, stated recently in an interview that the military was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Background of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by Italian rulers.

After World War II, it was then controlled by the British administration before turning into a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire.

However in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor terminated this arrangement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict occurred, finishing with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then endorsed by voters in a referendum in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the precise positioning of their common border, causing conflict in 1998.

Even though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the war was concluded – a move that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The two governments were then cooperators in the country's recent armed struggle in Tigray.

But ties have since broken down again.