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Increasing concerns exist regarding the chance of military engagement involving Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive discourse has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the Red Sea through Eritrea has sparked a intense rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in the previous year that his nation's sea access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the two countries have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a extensive sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict erupted in which more than 100,000 people lost their lives.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopian Leadership

Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and hinted at the desire to capture it through military means.

In early September, Abiy said the country's "error" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified 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 Answer to the Claims

Amid continuous challenges from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for maritime entry labeling it "dangerous" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a policy of claiming back former lands.

Eritrean authorities cautioned on 16 September that attempts to justify "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Region

Currently, there are few indications of large-scale army activities in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nonetheless, in the country, state television has shown graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The leader of staff section of the defense force, General Hachalu, commented lately in an discussion that the military was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Previous Roots of the Conflict

For decades from 1890, the territory was ruled by Italian colonisers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

Yet in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended armed struggle followed, ending with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then confirmed by the population in a referendum in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to war in 1998.

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

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a declaration that the conflict was finished – a move that earned the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The two governments were then partners in the country's previous internal conflict in the northern region.

However diplomatic connections have since broken down anew.