🔗 Share this article Escalating War of Words Among Ethiopia and Eritrean Government Sparks Concerns of Military Confrontation Mounting concerns have emerged regarding the chance of armed conflict between Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile rhetoric has ratcheted up in the past few weeks. The Ethiopian government and The Eritrean government cooperated in the internal conflict in northern Ethiopia but they have since fallen out. What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared? Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has sparked a fierce rhetorical conflict. PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in last year that his government's access to the sea was an vital issue, statements that Eritrean authorities ignored. Relations between the both governments have often been tense. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a long maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it without sea access. Five years later, a border war erupted in which more than 100,000 people were killed. Current Comments from Ethiopia's Officials Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have publicly asserted control of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and hinted at the wish to capture it through military means. In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "error" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrean independence would be "corrected soon". The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "through military action". Eritrean Answer to the Claims Amid ongoing threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been restricted to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G.. He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea labeling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a policy of reclaiming lost territory. Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that attempts to validate "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Security Preparations on the Border There have been little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the two countries. Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, state television has shown training completions of numerous trainees at different defense facilities. The head of human resources department of the defense force, General Hachalu, stated recently in an interview that the army was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries". Past Origins of the Dispute For more than half a century from the late 19th century, Eritrea was ruled by colonial powers. After the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia. But in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia. A extended internal conflict occurred, concluding 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 authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the specific demarcation of their common border, causing war in 1998. Even though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the two nations continued at in dispute. This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the war was over – a move that won the Prime Minister the international recognition. The neighboring states were then partners in the country's recent civil war in Tigray. But diplomatic connections have since broken down again.