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Mounting worries exist over the possibility of military engagement among East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational language has escalated in the last month.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his country's sea access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the both governments have regularly been difficult. Following a long-standing struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a long maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

In 1998, a territorial conflict started in which more than 100,000 people died.

Current Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and suggested the desire to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "rectified soon".

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

Eritrean Response to the Statements

Amid persistent warnings from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been confined to brief comments on social media from Communications Head the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for sea access calling it "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of reclaiming lost territory.

Eritrean authorities warned on recently that moves to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Ground

So far, there are no reports of large-scale army activities in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

However, in Ethiopia, national TV has shown completion events of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The director of staff section of the military, General Hachalu, commented lately in an discussion that the military was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Historical Origins of the Tension

For more than half a century from 1890, Eritrea was administered by Italian rulers.

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

Yet in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this agreement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A three-decade long internal conflict occurred, finishing with Ethiopia's defeat in the early 1990s. Independence was then confirmed by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, causing hostilities in 1998.

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

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The two agreed to a declaration that the conflict was finished – a move that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then partners in Ethiopia's previous civil war in the northern region.

However diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated anew.