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Mounting apprehensions exist over the chance of military engagement among East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational discourse has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a heated verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in last year that his government's maritime access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the two countries have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a extensive Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it landlocked.

In 1998, a military clash started in which over a hundred thousand people died.

Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and military leader Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted control of Eritrea's maritime facility of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and hinted at the intention to capture it through military means.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "blunder" of being denied passage to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrean Answer to the Statements

Despite continuous challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been confined to short statements on X from Communications Head the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of reclaiming lost territory.

The information ministry warned on recently that moves to justify "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

There have been no reports of major military movements in the border areas between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, state television has broadcast completion events of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The leader of human resources department of the armed forces, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Previous Background of the Tension

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

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

Yet in 1962 the ruler ended this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle ensued, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in the early 1990s. Independence was then approved by the population in a referendum in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the exact location of their common border, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Though this concluded in a truce in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the neighbors continued at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders signed a statement that the conflict was finished – a action that earned the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in Ethiopia's previous civil war in Tigray.

But diplomatic connections have since broken down once more.