NAIROBI (AFP) — Eritrea on Friday denied accusations that its troops had crossed the border into neighbouring Djibouti and begun building defences.
“We are baffled by the accusations from Djibouti,” an official close to Eritrean president told AFP.
“We have no claims on Djibouti territory. The border is clear and does not have any ambiguity and we have not occupied even one inch of Djibouti territory.”
A Djibouti official Monday said Eritrean forces had began digging trenches on both sides of the border, with the Eritreans infringing several hundred metres (yards) on to Djiboutian territory.
Djibouti and Eritrea have clashed twice over the border area situated at the southern end of Red Sea. In April 1996 they almost went to war after a Djibouti official accused Asmara of shelling the town of Ras Doumeira.
In 1999 Eritrea accused Djibouti of siding with Asmara’s arch-foe Ethiopia Woyanne while Djibouti alleged its neighbour was supporting Djiboutian rebels and had designs on the Ras Doumeira region, which Eritrea denied.
8 thoughts on “Eritrea denies Djibouti incursion charge”
Are woyane and shaabia going to start a war?
It never fails to amaze me how some African zealots would say anything to get them in the news. I remember similar “Incidents” happened back in 1996 when the Djiboutian foreign minister accused Eritrea of invading part of his country only to be disclaimed by the then president of Djibouti as stating “our FM has some wrong information that was fed to him by Ethiopia”. Why didn’t the FM ascertain the facts before jumping in the news and accusing his neighbor for something she hasn’t done! Sometimes I wonder if some of the African leaders are nothing but baboons incarnated as humans. Come to think of it, look what they normally do in Addis – drool over those unfortunate Abesha girls. No wonder they never accomplish anything worthwhile except state “how high” when Uncle Sam orders them to “jump” for donated wheat and cooking oil.
Djibouti has recently been showing its ugly anti Ethiopian moves by siding with the Woyannie Tigraians. A case in point is, it recently deported 5,000 Ethiopians, mostly members of the opposition and young Ethiopian students seeking asylum, back to Woyannie operated jails. Djibouti is becoming very anti Ethiopian forces, so I wouldn’t mind if Ato Issias shells toward the Djibouti security forces that are terrorizing the innocent Ethiopians in Djibouti once in a while to show them that Ethiopians are not without friends who can speak for them.
So, Ato Issias please keep on shelling to Djibouti security forces whenever it deports Ethiopians to Woyannie hands until it stops its criminal and cruel acts on poor unarmed Ethiopians.
Blatien,
I wouldn’t argue that ato Isaias and for that matter all Eritreans are the best of friends with Ethiopia. But, shelling a neighboring country with no apparent reason is not to the benefit of Ethiopia or Eritrea. We just have to remain friends so that we can kick some ass if and when they wish us harm.
Djibouti a small country with a giant problem
Djibouti is looking for scape gaot
Poor Djibouti is saying ,what is been told to say by its masters.I think it is time that african leaders work for their own people , not for foreign powers.The djibouti government must learn from Ethiopia .We know Ethiopia in what kind mess she is.
I completely agree with comment #3. I have a family members who were abused and deported back to Addis from Djibouti a couple of months ago. If the above news is true, I support the Eritrean leaders’ action 100% at this time.
What goes around comes around; you may abouse innocent Ethiopian refugees but you are getting abused by the strong man from your north neighbor.
I agree with Blatien above, D’Jibouti is abusing the right of a lot of Ethiopians running away from the cruel Woyanies by sending them back, so once in a while it would good if it can be reminded of its ugly collaboration by the good work of our dear friend, Ato Issias Afewerq.
Blatien says:
Djibouti has recently been showing its ugly anti Ethiopian moves by siding with the Woyannie Tigraians. A case in point is, it recently deported 5,000 Ethiopians, mostly members of the opposition and young Ethiopian students seeking asylum, back to Woyannie operated jails. Djibouti is becoming very anti Ethiopian forces, so I wouldn’t mind if Ato Issias shells toward the Djibouti security forces that are terrorizing the innocent Ethiopians in Djibouti once in a while to show them that Ethiopians are not without friends who can speak for them.
So, Ato Issias please keep on shelling to Djibouti security forces whenever it deports Ethiopians to Woyannie hands until it stops its criminal and cruel acts on poor unarmed Ethiopians.