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Mounting concerns are present regarding the chance of armed conflict between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as aggressive rhetoric has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for entry to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has triggered a fierce war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his country's access to the sea was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea ignored.

Ties between the neighboring nations have regularly been difficult. Following a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict started in which numerous people died.

Latest Statements from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted control of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and hinted at the desire to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "error" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrean independence would be "rectified soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

In the face of continuous warnings from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on social media from Information Minister the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for access to the Red Sea labeling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a approach of reclaiming former lands.

The information ministry cautioned on 16 September that attempts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Ground

There have been no reports of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the two countries.

Nevertheless, in the country, state television has displayed graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The leader of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an interview that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our enemies".

Previous Origins of the Tension

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by Italian colonisers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the UK forces before evolving into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

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

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, ending with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then approved by voters in a referendum in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, leading to conflict in 1998.

Though this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries stayed at odds.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the war was over – a move that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's previous armed struggle in Tigray.

However relations have since broken down anew.