🔗 Share this article Escalating Verbal Conflict Among Ethiopian Government and Eritrean Government Raises Anxieties of Armed Clash Increasing apprehensions exist regarding the chance of military engagement between East African neighbours, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive language has escalated in recent weeks. Ethiopia and Eritrea cooperated in the civil war in Tigray but they have subsequently disagreed. What Has Ethiopia Said? Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for entry to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has provoked a heated verbal exchange. The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in the previous year that his nation's maritime access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea rejected. Ties between the two countries have often been tense. Following a prolonged battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a long sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it without sea access. Five years later, a border war started in which over a hundred thousand people died. Latest Statements from Ethiopian Officials Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and suggested the intention to seize it militarily. Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrean independence would be "rectified soon". The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "using武力". Eritrea's Response to the Statements Despite persistent warnings from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Communications Head the minister. He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea labeling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a strategy of reclaiming previous domains. The information ministry warned on 16 September that efforts to validate "obvious provocation" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Military Movements on the Border Currently, there are no reports of major military movements in the frontier regions between the two countries. However, in Ethiopia, national TV has displayed graduation ceremonies of many recruits at different defense facilities. The director of staff section of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an interview that the military was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our adversaries". Past Origins of the Tension For decades from 1890, the territory was administered by colonial powers. Following World War II, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a associated territory of Ethiopia. Yet in 1962 the ruler terminated this system and Eritrea became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state. A extended armed struggle ensued, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in the early 1990s. Independence was then approved by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993. Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to war in 1998. Though this concluded in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations remained at odds. This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders signed a declaration that the conflict was finished – a action that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize. The two governments were then allies in Ethiopia's recent internal conflict in Tigray. Yet ties have subsequently deteriorated once more.