🔗 Share this article Rising War of Words Between Ethiopia and Eritrea Raises Anxieties of Armed Clash Mounting apprehensions have emerged over the possibility of military engagement involving East African neighbors, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in the past few weeks. Ethiopia and The Eritrean government worked together in the internal conflict in northern Ethiopia but they have since fallen out. What Did Ethiopia Said? Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict. Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in the previous year that his nation's maritime access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrean authorities ignored. Relations between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a prolonged battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it cut off from the sea. Subsequently, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people died. Current Comments from Ethiopia's Leadership Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have directly stated ownership of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and suggested the intention to capture it through military means. Recently, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon". Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "usingæ¦åŠ›". Eritrea's Answer to the Threats Amid continuous warnings from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel. The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for maritime entry describing it as "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a approach of reclaiming former lands. Government spokespeople warned on mid-September that attempts to justify "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Security Movements on the Ground Currently, there are few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the neighboring states. Nevertheless, in the country, state television has shown training completions of numerous trainees at different defense facilities. The head of human resources department of the military, the officer, commented lately in an interview that the military was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries". Historical Roots of the Dispute For more than half a century from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers. Following the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the British military before evolving into a federated part of the Ethiopian empire. Yet in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this system and Eritrea became fully incorporated into Ethiopia. A extended internal conflict occurred, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then endorsed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993. For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, leading to hostilities in 1998. Even though this finished in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors remained at in dispute. This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a statement that the war was over – a move that gained Abiy the prestigious award. The two governments were then partners in the country's recent armed struggle in the northern region. Yet ties have subsequently deteriorated once more.