SubSaharan Africa 477
MID#4398
Dispute Number: 4398
Date(s): April 18, 2008 to October 18, 2008
Participants: 531 Eritrea/522 Djibouti
Outcome (and Settlement): Missing (Missing)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: On April 18, 2008, Eritrean troops built defensive positions on the Dji-
bouti side of the border and occupied that territory. Forces from both countries clashed
in June as the Eritreans pursued military deserters farther into the Djibouti country-
side. Two Djiboutian soldiers were killed.
530 Ethiopia/531 Eritrea
MID#4258
Dispute Number: 4258
Date(s): May 6, 1998 to June 18, 2000
Participants: 531 Eritrea/530 Ethiopia
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: Ethiopia and Eritrea contested several territories in a two-year war, and
the most important was Badme. On May 6, 1998, Eritrean soldiers occupied Sheraro
and Badme. Two weeks later Eritrea reported that Ethiopian troops occupied Sorona
and Badda. Ethiopia launched air strikes against Asmara, the Eritrean capital, and
Eritrean planes bombed Ethiopian towns Adigrat and Mekele. Each country spent
hundreds of millions on new military equipment. After tens of thousands of deaths
and hundreds of thousands of displacements, Eritrea and Ethiopia ultimately signed a
ceasefire on June 18, 2000. On December 12, the two countries signed a peace agree-
ment in Algiers that was brokered by both the United States and the Organization
of African Unity. The agreement included explicit provisions for settling the border
dispute, and on April 13, 2002, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague
delimited most of the border.
Coding changes: End Date changed from Missing.
MID#4355
Dispute Number: 4355
Date(s): September 2, 2002 to September 5, 2002
Participants: 530 Ethiopia/531 Eritrea
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Ethiopian soldiers crossed the Eritrean border and stole cattle.