Eritrean-Djiboutian border conflict

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Eritrean-Djiboutian border conflict
Map with the disputed border area
Map with the disputed border area
date June 10, 2008 to June 13, 2008
place Ras Doumeira
Doumeira
Casus Belli Territory claim
output Djiboutian victory
Eritrea's retreat from the border
Establishment of a buffer zone
Parties to the conflict

EritreaEritrea Eritrea

DjiboutiDjibouti Djibouti

Commander

Isayas Afewerki
Sebhat Ephrem

Ismail Omar Guelleh


Map of the disputed area

The border conflict between Djibouti and Eritrea affects the Ras Doumeira area on the Red Sea coast on the border of the two north- east African states Djibouti and Eritrea . It most recently came to a head on April 16, 2008, when the Djiboutian side reported that Eritrean military units had advanced into Djiboutian territory and dug trenches on both sides of the border. From June 10th to 13th of the same year fighting broke out between Eritrean and Djiboutian troops.

Background and history

The disputed area includes an elevation (hill) named Gabla or Ras Doumeira and the small island of Doumeira in front of it . Except for the small, strategically insignificant settlement Rahayta ( Raheita ) of ethnic Afar , the area is uninhabited. Fishermen occasionally sail the waters.

The border was determined at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century between the then Italian colonial power Eritrea and the French colonial rulers of Djibouti, but according to some experts this was only vague. Italy and France agreed in 1901 that no third country should control Ras Doumeira and that border issues should be regulated more precisely later. However, Djibouti is of the opinion that a treaty of 1897 clearly assigned Ras Doumeira to France and thus to present-day Djibouti. Eritrea, on the other hand, relied on a French-Italian agreement of 1935 that was never ratified .

While Djibouti remained French until its independence in 1977, Eritrea was annexed to neighboring Ethiopia . Eritrean rebels had been fighting for independence from Ethiopia since the 1960s, which was finally achieved in 1993. Relations between Eritrea and its neighbors and especially with Ethiopia have remained tense since then. In 1995 there were clashes with Yemen over the Hanisch Islands . In 1996 war with Djibouti almost broke out after the latter accused Eritrea of ​​bombing Ras Doumeira. When the open border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea broke out in 1998-2000 , Eritrea broke off relations with Djibouti because of its economic and political relations with Ethiopia. Djibouti accused Eritrea of ​​supporting rebels in its area (see Djiboutian civil war ).

Different reasons are given for Eritrea's recent actions in the border conflict. Some Eritrean opposition members are of the opinion that the government of Eritrea , which critics have described as dictatorial, is trying to divert attention from internal problems. Foreign observers also refer to the recent history of Eritrea with the decades-long struggle for independence and the border dispute with Ethiopia, which is still unresolved, in which the USA is currently exerting pressure on Eritrea. The USA and France have a military presence in Djibouti.

Events in 2008

Djiboutian troops and light armored vehicles near the border

According to the government of Djibouti, Eritrea asked in January 2008 to be allowed to fetch sand to build a road in the border area. Eritrean troops would then have occupied a hill, built fortifications and dug trenches. In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Djibouti asked for the Security Council to intervene and said that Eritrea had issued new maps showing Ras Doumeira as part of Eritrea. Eritrea denied any problems with Djibouti and the stationing of troops on the border. On June 10, according to Djibouti, some Eritrean soldiers defected to Djibouti. Djiboutian troops came under fire from Eritrean troops who wanted to bring the deserters back. There had been further fighting until June 13th. A total of nine Djiboutian soldiers are said to have been killed and 60 injured. On the Eritrean side, around 100 are said to have been killed, 21 deserted and 100 captured, according to Djibouti. France, which has a military presence in Djibouti, provided military support to the Djiboutian side. Ethiopia announced that it would, if necessary, militarily secure its important trade route through Djibouti.

During a visit to wounded soldiers, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh said: "If Eritrea wants war, it will get it". When asked whether the two countries were at war, he replied: "Absolutely."

International reactions

The US State Department condemned Eritrea for its "aggression" against Djibouti. The UN Security Council called on both sides to exercise restraint and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Arab League called on Eritrea to withdraw its troops from the border. At a meeting boycotted by Eritrea, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union condemned the "Eritrean military action against Djibouti" and called on Eritrea to withdraw from Djiboutian territory. Eritrea denied allegations of wrongdoing. It has not yet approved a proposed fact-finding mission by the African Union .

See also

swell

Individual evidence