BREAKING NEWS: Firing erupts along Eritrea-Ethiopia border as refugees flee

by Martin Plaut

Three hours of shelling are reported to have taken place across the Eritrea-Ethiopian border today (Wednesday).

The clash was apparently sparked off when Eritrean troops opened fire on about 40 refugees attempting to flee from Eritrea to Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian military retaliated, sparking off the fighting in the area of Erob, which is near the disputed town of Badme, over which the border war of 1998 - 2000 was fought. There are no reports yet of casualties.

Eritrean flee across the border into Ethiopia at a similar rate on an almost daily basis.