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Increasing concerns exist over the potential of military engagement among Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational rhetoric has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a intense verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister previously announced in the previous year that his country's sea access was an existential matter, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have frequently been strained. Following a decades-long battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a long Red Sea coastline, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it landlocked.

Five years later, a military clash erupted in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Current Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed sovereignty of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and suggested the intention to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrean independence would be "addressed tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrean Response to the Claims

Amid continuous threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a policy of reclaiming former lands.

Government spokespeople cautioned on 16 September that efforts to justify "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Preparations on the Ground

Currently, there are no reports of major military movements in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, national TV has broadcast completion events of thousands of cadets at various military training camps.

The director of human resources department of the armed forces, the officer, recently said in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Historical Roots of the Conflict

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was governed by Italian rulers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the UK forces before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this arrangement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A three-decade long internal conflict occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then confirmed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the exact location of their common border, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors continued at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader 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 cooperators in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in the northern region.

However relations have later worsened anew.