🔗 Share this article Escalating Verbal Conflict Involving Ethiopia and Eritrea Raises Anxieties of Armed Clash Growing apprehensions have emerged over the chance of armed conflict between Horn of Africa neighbors, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive language has escalated in the last month. The Ethiopian government and The Eritrean government worked together in the internal conflict in northern Ethiopia but they have subsequently disagreed. What Did Ethiopian Officials Said? Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has provoked a intense verbal exchange. The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his country's access to the sea was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities dismissed. Ties between the two countries have frequently been strained. After a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it without sea access. In 1998, a military clash erupted in which more than 100,000 people lost their lives. Recent Comments from Ethiopian Officials Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted ownership of Eritrea's southern port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and hinted at the intention to take it by force. Recently, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "corrected tomorrow". Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "using武力". Eritrea's Response to the Claims In the face of persistent challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to short statements on X from Information Minister Yemane G.. Officials have denied Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea describing it as "risky" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a policy of claiming back lost territory. The information ministry cautioned on recently that attempts to validate "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached". Military Activities on the Border So far, there are few indications of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the neighboring states. However, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast training completions of many recruits at various military training camps. The director of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an conversation that the military was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our opponents". Past Background of the Conflict For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was administered by Italian rulers. After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British administration before turning into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire. Yet in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state. A extended armed struggle occurred, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993. Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the exact location of their shared boundary, causing war in 1998. Even though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations continued at loggerheads. This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President the president. The two signed a statement that the conflict was over – a action that gained Abiy the prestigious award. The both administrations were then allies in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 armed struggle in Tigray. Yet relations have subsequently deteriorated anew.