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Increasing worries are present about the chance of armed conflict among East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive language has intensified in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his country's maritime access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the both governments have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a territorial conflict erupted in which numerous people were killed.

Current Statements from Ethiopia's Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have publicly asserted control of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and implied the desire to take it by force.

Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "addressed in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrean Answer to the Statements

Amid persistent warnings from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been restricted to short statements on social media from Information Minister the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of retaking previous domains.

Government spokespeople warned on 16 September that attempts to validate "blatant hostility" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Ground

Currently, there are no reports of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, government media has shown graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The head of personnel division of the military, General Hachalu, commented lately in an discussion that the army was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Historical Roots of the Conflict

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by colonial powers.

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

However in the early 1960s the ruler cancelled this system and the region became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by voters in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to war in 1998.

Though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations remained at in dispute.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The two endorsed a declaration that the conflict was concluded – a move that earned the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

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

Yet diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated again.