🔗 Share this article Rising War of Words Among Ethiopian Government and Eritrea Raises Concerns of Armed Clash Increasing worries are present regarding the chance of armed conflict among East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile language has intensified in the last month. Ethiopia and The Eritrean government cooperated in the armed struggle in northern Ethiopia but they have later become estranged. What Did Ethiopia Said? Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has sparked a heated war of words. The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in 2023 that his country's maritime access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea ignored. Diplomatic connections between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a long maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked. Subsequently, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed. Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Officials Prime Minister Abiy and military leader Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's southern port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the wish to capture it through military means. On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrean independence would be "rectified tomorrow". The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "using武力". Eritrean Reaction to the Threats Despite persistent threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been restricted to short statements on social media from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel. He has rejected Ethiopia's push for maritime entry labeling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a approach of claiming back previous domains. The information ministry alerted on recently that efforts to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Defense Activities on the Region There have been no reports of major military movements in the border areas between the two countries. Nonetheless, in the country, government media has broadcast training completions of many recruits at various military training camps. The director of personnel division of the defense force, General Hachalu, recently said in an discussion that the military was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our opponents". Historical Background of the Conflict For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was ruled by Italian rulers. After the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the British military before becoming a federated part of Ethiopia. However in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state. A three-decade long civil war followed, finishing with military reversal in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then confirmed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993. Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to hostilities in 1998. Though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations continued at in dispute. This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders signed a declaration that the hostilities was finished – a action that won Abiy the international recognition. The both administrations were then partners in the country's previous armed struggle in the northern region. However diplomatic connections have later worsened anew.