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Mounting concerns are present over the chance of military engagement involving Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a fierce war of words.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in the previous year that his country's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Ties between the both governments have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Comments from Ethiopian Officials

Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and hinted at the desire to take it by force.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "using武力".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Claims

Amid continuous challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to brief comments on social media from Communications Head Yemane G..

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea labeling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a policy of retaking lost territory.

Government spokespeople warned on mid-September that attempts to validate "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Border

Currently, there are little evidence of significant troop deployments in the boundary zones between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has shown training completions of numerous trainees at multiple army bases.

The head of human resources department of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an conversation that the military was in a "strong stance" as "tens of thousands of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Previous Origins of the Dispute

For over fifty years from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by colonial powers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a federated part of Ethiopia.

However in the early 1960s Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this agreement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict ensued, finishing with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, resulting in conflict in 1998.

Although this finished in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors stayed at loggerheads.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a announcement that the conflict was over – a move that gained the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The two governments were then allies in the country's 2020-2022 internal conflict in the northern region.

But relations have later worsened once more.