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Growing concerns exist about the chance of military engagement involving East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for passage to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has triggered a fierce rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in the previous year that his country's maritime access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the two countries have frequently been strained. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, leaving it cut off from the sea.

In 1998, a military clash erupted in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have directly stated ownership of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the frontier - and suggested the desire to seize it militarily.

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

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "by force".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Amid ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a strategy of claiming back previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that efforts to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Border

There have been little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the neighboring states.

However, in the country, government media has displayed graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at multiple army bases.

The head of human resources department of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an interview that the military was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of youths" were entering service, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Past Origins of the Dispute

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

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

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this agreement and the region became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year internal conflict occurred, ending with military reversal in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, causing war in 1998.

Even though this finished in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors remained at odds.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders signed a announcement that the hostilities was finished – a decision that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's previous internal conflict in the northern region.

Yet diplomatic connections have later worsened anew.