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Growing apprehensions exist regarding the chance of military engagement between Horn of Africa countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as hostile rhetoric has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has provoked a heated rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his nation's maritime access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, legally broke away from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, making it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a military clash started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted control of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the boundary - and implied the desire to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "addressed in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

Amid persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to short statements on social media from Information Minister the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for sea access calling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking lost territory.

Eritrean authorities warned on 16 September that moves to justify "blatant hostility" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Preparations on the Ground

There have been few indications of major military movements in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

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

The director of human resources department of the defense force, General Hachalu, commented lately in an interview that the army was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Origins of the Dispute

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the UK forces before becoming a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, concluding with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then confirmed by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their common border, causing hostilities in 1998.

Although this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the both countries continued at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the hostilities was finished – a move that earned Abiy the prestigious award.

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

However ties have since broken down again.