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Increasing worries have emerged over the potential of military engagement between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile rhetoric has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has sparked a intense verbal exchange.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his government's sea access was an vital issue, comments that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Relations between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it landlocked.

Five years later, a border war broke out in which numerous people lost their lives.

Current Statements from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have publicly asserted ownership of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and hinted at the desire to capture it through military means.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing access to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "rectified in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrea's Answer to the Threats

Amid continuous warnings from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea describing it as "risky" and a "negative policy" of "expansionism" – a policy of reclaiming former lands.

The information ministry warned on mid-September that moves to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

So far, there are little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the both nations.

However, in Ethiopia, government media has broadcast completion events of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The leader of staff section of the defense force, the officer, commented lately in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our adversaries".

Past Origins of the Tension

For more than half a century from 1890, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

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

However in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor terminated this arrangement and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended armed struggle followed, concluding with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by voters in a referendum in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, resulting in conflict in 1998.

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

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders signed a announcement that the hostilities was concluded – a move that earned the Prime Minister the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then partners in Ethiopia's previous internal conflict in Tigray.

Yet ties have later worsened anew.