🔗 Share this article Escalating War of Words Among Ethiopian Government and Eritrea Raises Concerns of Conflict Increasing concerns exist regarding the chance of armed conflict among Horn of Africa neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as aggressive rhetoric has escalated in the last month. Ethiopia and The Eritrean government were allies in the armed struggle in Tigray but they have later become estranged. What Has Ethiopia Stated? Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrea has provoked a heated verbal exchange. PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in the previous year that his country's sea access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected. Relations between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it without sea access. In 1998, a military clash broke out in which over a hundred thousand people were killed. Recent Comments from Ethiopian Officials Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the wish to capture it through military means. In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of being denied passage to the sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "corrected in the future". Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "by force". Eritrean Answer to the Statements In the face of persistent threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been restricted to brief comments on social media from Communications Head the minister. The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for maritime entry calling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a approach of retaking previous domains. Government spokespeople cautioned on recently that efforts to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Security Activities on the Ground So far, there are few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the two countries. Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at multiple army bases. The head of personnel division of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our opponents". Historical Roots of the Tension For over fifty years from the late 19th century, Eritrea was ruled by Italian rulers. After Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the UK forces before becoming a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire. However in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I terminated this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia. A three-decade long civil war occurred, ending with military reversal in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then endorsed by voters in a vote in 1993. For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their shared boundary, resulting in conflict in 1998. Though this finished in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations stayed at in dispute. This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the conflict was finished – a move that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize. The both administrations were then partners in Ethiopia's previous internal conflict in Tigray. But diplomatic connections have since broken down once more.