🔗 Share this article Escalating Verbal Conflict Between Ethiopia and Eritrean Government Triggers Concerns of Military Confrontation Growing concerns are present over the possibility of armed conflict between Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational discourse has ratcheted up in recent weeks. Ethiopia and Eritrea cooperated in the armed struggle in northern Ethiopia but they have subsequently disagreed. What Did Ethiopian Officials Declared? Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrea has triggered a fierce war of words. Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in 2023 that his country's access to the sea was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea dismissed. Diplomatic connections between the neighboring nations have often been tense. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, making it without sea access. Subsequently, a territorial conflict broke out in which numerous people lost their lives. Current Remarks from Ethiopia's Leadership Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have directly stated control of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and hinted at the desire to take it by force. In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed tomorrow". Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "through military action". Eritrean Answer to the Claims Despite ongoing warnings from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel. He has rejected Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea labeling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a approach of retaking former lands. Eritrean authorities alerted on 16 September that moves to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Defense Activities on the Region So far, there are few indications of major military movements in the boundary zones between the two countries. Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has shown graduation ceremonies of many recruits at various military training camps. The director of staff section of the armed forces, General Hachalu, commented lately in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our enemies". Historical Background of the Tension For over fifty years from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers. Following Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British military before evolving into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire. Yet in the early 1960s Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this arrangement and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state. A thirty-year civil war occurred, finishing with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993. Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the exact location of their mutual frontier, resulting in hostilities in 1998. Even though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries remained at loggerheads. This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The two agreed to a announcement that the conflict was finished – a decision that earned the Prime Minister the international recognition. The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's previous armed struggle in Tigray. Yet diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated anew.