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Growing apprehensions have emerged about the possibility of armed conflict involving Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a intense war of words.

The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in the previous year that his government's maritime access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the both governments have often been tense. Following a long-standing battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a extensive Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a border war started in which more than 100,000 people died.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopia's Officials

Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed ownership of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the boundary - and implied the wish to take it by force.

In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be given back "using武力".

Eritrean Reaction to the Threats

Despite persistent threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to short statements on social media from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a approach of reclaiming former lands.

The information ministry warned on 16 September that attempts to validate "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Region

So far, there are little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, government media has displayed graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at various military training camps.

The director of personnel division of the defense force, the officer, commented lately in an conversation that the military was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our adversaries".

Previous Origins of the Conflict

For over fifty years from 1890, Eritrea was administered by Italian colonisers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the UK forces before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this agreement and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle ensued, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then endorsed by the population in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the exact location of their shared boundary, causing conflict in 1998.

Even though this finished in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations continued at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the war was concluded – a decision that gained the Prime Minister the Nobel Peace Prize.

The both administrations were then partners in Ethiopia's recent armed struggle in the northern region.

Yet ties have subsequently deteriorated anew.