All Eritrean men between the ages of 18 – 50 have to serve in the army for more than 20 years, forcing thousands to flee. But things look set to change.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed greets supporters.
STR/EPA
For the first time in years Ethiopia’s ruling coalition faces real political competition from two parties within its own ranks. Can they usher in democracy after nearly 30 years of authoritarianism?
A squadron of UAE Mirage fighter planes such as this one at the Dubai Airshow are stationed in Eritrea for Yemeni operations.
Reuters/Caren Firouz
Martin Plaut, School of Advanced Study, University of London
The growing Arab military, political and religious influence is only the latest example of an external force taking hold in the Horn of Africa.
A man from disputed Badme poses in front of a tank abandoned during the 1998-2000 Ethiopia-Eritrea war. The risk of a fresh war is remote.
Reuters/Ed Harris
Will the latest Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict spiral into a large-scale military confrontation? The odds are highly unlikely: neither side believes it would gain from such an eventuality.