🔗 Share this article Rising Rhetorical Battle Among Ethiopia and Eritrea Triggers Fears of Conflict Growing concerns are present about the possibility of armed conflict between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has escalated in the past few weeks. Ethiopia and The Eritrean government worked together in the internal conflict in northern Ethiopia but they have subsequently disagreed. What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared? Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense verbal exchange. The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in the previous year that his government's maritime access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea dismissed. Diplomatic connections between the both governments have often been tense. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a long Red Sea coastline, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, leaving it cut off from the sea. Subsequently, a military clash broke out in which over a hundred thousand people died. Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Government Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and suggested the wish to seize it militarily. In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "blunder" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed tomorrow". The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "using武力". Eritrea's Response to the Claims Despite persistent warnings from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head the minister. Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for maritime entry describing it as "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a policy of claiming back former lands. The information ministry warned on mid-September that efforts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Security Movements on the Ground There have been no reports of large-scale army activities in the frontier regions between the neighboring states. Nevertheless, in the country, government media has broadcast graduation ceremonies of many recruits at various military training camps. The director of human resources department of the military, the officer, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries". Previous Background of the Conflict For decades from 1890, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers. After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British military before turning into a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire. However in 1962 the ruler cancelled this system and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia. A extended internal conflict ensued, ending with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by voters in a plebiscite in 1993. Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, resulting in hostilities in 1998. Though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors remained at odds. This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader the president. The two endorsed a declaration that the war was concluded – a move that gained Abiy the prestigious award. The neighboring states were then cooperators in the country's 2020-2022 armed struggle in Tigray. However relations have later worsened once more.