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Mounting apprehensions exist regarding the possibility of armed conflict among Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive rhetoric has intensified in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for entry to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in last year that his country's maritime access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the two countries have regularly been difficult. Following a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict erupted in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and implied the wish to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "rectified in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Amid continuous threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been limited to short statements on social media from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for access to the Red Sea labeling it "dangerous" and a "negative policy" of "expansionism" – a policy of claiming back previous domains.

Eritrean authorities alerted on 16 September that moves to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Ground

There have been few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nonetheless, in the country, government media has displayed graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The head of human resources department of the defense force, General Hachalu, stated recently in an interview that the army was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our adversaries".

Past Roots of the Conflict

For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was governed by Italian rulers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British administration before evolving into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s Emperor Haile Selassie I terminated this system and the region became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Autonomy was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Although this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries continued at in dispute.

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders signed a declaration that the conflict was concluded – a action that gained Abiy the prestigious award.

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

But diplomatic connections have since broken down again.