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Mounting apprehensions have emerged over the possibility of military engagement between East African countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as aggressive language has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has sparked a intense verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his government's maritime access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

In 1998, a border war erupted in which numerous people died.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Officials

Abiy and army chief the army commander have directly stated control of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and suggested the desire to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, Abiy said the country's "error" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Response to the Threats

In the face of continuous threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been restricted to short statements on social media from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea describing it as "risky" and a "negative policy" of "expansionism" – a strategy of retaking lost territory.

The information ministry cautioned on mid-September that attempts to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Border

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

However, in Ethiopia, state television has shown training completions of many recruits at multiple army bases.

The leader of personnel division of the military, the officer, 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".

Previous Roots of the Conflict

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

Following Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the British administration before becoming a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

But in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor terminated this arrangement and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle followed, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then approved by the population in a vote in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to conflict in 1998.

Though this concluded in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries continued at odds.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The two signed a declaration that the war was finished – a move that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The both administrations were then partners in the country's recent internal conflict in the northern region.

But ties have subsequently deteriorated again.