Ethiopia and Eritrea: Another War?

Above: Ethiopian troops marching (photo: www.militaryphotos.net)

The International Crisis Group (ICG) of Brussels warns of a catastrophic war between the African neighbors Ethiopia and Eritrea. The two countries waged war against each other from 1998 to 2000 which killed more than 70 thousand people.

An independent boundary commission has settled the territorial dispute between the countries through its “virtual demarcation” in November 2007. As a consequence, most of the 1, 700 peacekeepers were withdrawn from the border. However Ethiopia still has troops in areas belonging to Eritrea, creating a tension that can worsen over time.

Second Italo - Abyssinian War 1935-1936

Above: A map during Italo - Abyssinian War, showing Italian attack plans in invading Ethiopia

In 1935 there broke out a war between Italy and Ethiopia the outcome of which was Abyssinia or Ethiopia’s acceptance of Italian rule. This incident was not a minor one and has been regarded by history to be one of the thorns that led to the outbreak of World War II. It showed how ineffective the League of Nations was when the great powers chose to disregard it to suit their own interests.

Above: Italian troops deployed in Ethiopia and strengthening front line defense