Ethiopia, Eritrea forces clash
2003-11-03 22:50
Addis Ababa - One Eritrean was killed when Ethiopian troops fired on an Eritrean militia patrolling the demilitarised zone separating the two countries, reports said on Monday.
The United Nations Indian battalion in the area was investigating the incident, which occurred over the weekend, the BBC said.
The clash happened less than a week after the independent border commission announced that it would not proceed with a planned demarcation exercise.
The exact location of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea was the cause of a brutal war from 1998 to 2000 in which an estimated 100 000 people died.
As part of a peace settlement, an international commission was set up in 2000 to map out and demarcate the boundary.
But Ethiopia rejected the commission's ruling that the disputed area of Badme should fall within Eritrea's boundaries. Badme has a population of about 5 000.
A 4 200-member United Nations peacekeeping force is currently in place. - Sapa-DPA
- SAPA