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Growing worries have emerged over the chance of military engagement among East African neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive language has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense rhetorical conflict.

PM Abiy Ahmed first openly declared in last year that his government's maritime access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Relations between the neighboring nations have regularly been difficult. Following a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, making it without sea access.

Subsequently, a border war started in which numerous people were killed.

Current Comments from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrea's maritime facility of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and implied the desire to seize it militarily.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of losing entry to the sea as a result of Eritrean independence would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "through military action".

Eritrea's Answer to the Claims

Despite ongoing threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for sea access labeling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking previous domains.

Eritrean authorities warned on mid-September that moves 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".

Military Movements on the Border

There have been little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the two countries.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has displayed completion events of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The head of personnel division of the armed forces, General Hachalu, commented lately in an interview that the defense forces was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Previous Background of the Dispute

For more than half a century from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

However in the early 1960s the ruler cancelled this system and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended civil war followed, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by the population in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their common border, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Though this finished in a peace deal in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the neighbors continued at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders agreed to a declaration that the war was concluded – a move that earned Abiy the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then partners in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in the northern region.

However ties have later worsened once more.