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Increasing concerns exist regarding the possibility of armed conflict involving East African neighbours, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has provoked a heated war of words.

PM Abiy Ahmed first openly declared in last year that his government's sea access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Diplomatic connections 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, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, making it without sea access.

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

Recent Statements from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and suggested the wish to capture it through military means.

On 1 September, Abiy said the country's "blunder" of losing access to the sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "corrected soon".

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

Eritrea's Reaction to the Threats

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been limited to brief comments on online platforms from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for maritime entry describing it as "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a strategy of retaking previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that attempts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Region

There have been no reports of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in the country, government media has shown completion events of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The leader of personnel division of the military, the officer, commented lately in an discussion that the military was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Past Origins of the Conflict

For more than half a century from 1890, the territory was governed by colonial powers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the British military before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the ruler terminated this agreement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A extended armed struggle occurred, ending with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Although this ended in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries continued at loggerheads.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the conflict was over – a action that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's recent armed struggle in the northern region.

But diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated again.