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Increasing concerns exist over the potential of armed conflict involving Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive language has intensified in the last month.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrea has sparked a fierce war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his country's access to the sea was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the neighboring nations have often been tense. After a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, legally broke away from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Current Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have publicly asserted ownership of Eritrean southern port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and hinted at the wish to take it by force.

In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing access to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrean independence would be "addressed soon".

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

Eritrean Reaction to the Threats

In the face of ongoing challenges from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been restricted to brief comments on online platforms from Information Minister the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for access to the Red Sea describing it as "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a approach of claiming back former lands.

Government spokespeople alerted on recently that attempts to justify "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Movements on the Region

Currently, there are no reports of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has shown completion events of numerous trainees at multiple army bases.

The head of personnel division of the armed forces, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an conversation that the army 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 over fifty years from 1890, the territory was ruled by Italian rulers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the UK forces before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle followed, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then approved by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their mutual frontier, leading to war in 1998.

Although this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations continued at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President the president. The two endorsed a announcement that the war was finished – a move that gained the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The both administrations were then allies in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in Tigray.

But relations have since broken down anew.