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Mounting apprehensions exist over the possibility of warfare among Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational rhetoric has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has provoked a fierce verbal exchange.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his country's maritime access was an existential matter, comments that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the both governments have regularly been difficult. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, making it cut off from the sea.

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

Latest Statements from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrea's coastal city of Assab – about 60km from the border - and hinted at the desire to take it by force.

Recently, Abiy said the country's "error" of losing entry to the sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Threats

Despite persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G..

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for maritime entry describing it as "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking former lands.

The information ministry cautioned on 16 September that efforts to validate "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Ground

There have been few indications of large-scale army activities in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, government media has shown training completions of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The leader of personnel division of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an interview that the army was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Historical Background of the Tension

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by Italian rulers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the British military before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long civil war ensued, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to war in 1998.

Though this concluded in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries stayed at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The two signed a declaration that the conflict was over – a action that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then allies in the country's previous civil war in the northern region.

However ties have since broken down again.