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Increasing apprehensions exist about the chance of armed conflict involving Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as hostile discourse has escalated in the last month.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce verbal exchange.

PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in the previous year that his nation's maritime access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Ties between the both governments have often been tense. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which numerous people were killed.

Current Statements from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – about 60km from the boundary - and hinted at the intention to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrean Reaction to the Statements

Amid continuous challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been limited to short statements on social media from Communications Head Yemane G..

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for sea access describing it as "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a approach of reclaiming lost territory.

The information ministry alerted on recently that efforts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Ground

There have been few indications of major military movements in the boundary zones between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has broadcast graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at different defense facilities.

The leader of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an conversation that the army was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Historical Roots of the Conflict

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

After World War II, it was then managed by the British administration before turning into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended civil war occurred, finishing with military reversal in the early 1990s. Independence was then confirmed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, resulting in conflict in 1998.

Though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors stayed at odds.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The two agreed to a declaration that the hostilities was over – a action that earned the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The two governments were then allies in Ethiopia's recent internal conflict in Tigray.

But ties have later worsened once more.