Battle of Tsorona

Last updated
Battle of Tsorona
Part of Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict
Date12–13 June 2016
(1 day)
Location
Tsorona, Eritrea
15°N39°E / 15°N 39°E / 15; 39
Result Both sides claim victory [1]
Territorial
changes		 No territorial changes
Belligerents
Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Eritrea.svg Isaias Afewerki
Flag of Eritrea.svg Sebhat Ephrem 		Flag of Ethiopia.svg Mulatu Teshome
Flag of Ethiopia.svg Siraj Fergessa
Casualties and losses
18 killed
(Eritrean claim) [2]
Higher than the Ethiopian losses
(Ethiopian claim) [1] 		Lighter than Eritrean losses
(Ethiopian claim) [1]
200+ killed, 300+ wounded
(Eritrean claim) [3]
Battle of Tsorona

The Battle of Tsorona was an engagement between the Eritrean and the Ethiopian armies on the border near the town of Tsorona. [4] [1]

Contents

Background

Following the Eritrean–Ethiopian War which lasted from 1998 to 2000, Eritrea–Ethiopia relations have remained tense, with multiple small border skirmishes occurring as a part of the wider Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict. The 2016 engagement, which utilized "medium- and long-range artillery" was seen as a more serious altercation. [4]

Battle

Eritrean claims

According to the Eritrean Information Ministry, Ethiopian forces attacked Eritrean troops at Tsorona on Sunday, June 12, 2016. [3] After an overnight battle, the troops were repelled on Monday, June 13, 2016. [3] Ethiopian forces quickly withdrew back over the border, with Eritrea estimating Ethiopian losses at 200 dead and 300 wounded, Eritrea claims 18 losses during the battle. [2] [4] Eritrea identified Ethiopian armed forces as the aggressors and accused the Ethiopian government of using a smokescreen of propaganda to justify the attack. [3]

Ethiopian claims

Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda initially denied any knowledge of clashes between Eritrea and Ethiopia. [5] Subsequent comments by the Ethiopian government spokesman claimed "there were significant casualties on both sides, but more on the Eritrean side." [6] The Ethiopian government also claimed Eritrea instigated the clash to “distract attention” from the recently published report on Eritrea by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) on human rights in Eritrea. [5] [7]

Media claims

The exile-based news source Gedab News, or Awate, reported on June 12 that border clashes were ongoing, but that the trigger remained unclear. [8] The next day they reported that the clash was triggered by a firefight between Eritrean soldiers and Eritrean opposition groups based in Ethiopia. The clash escalated as an increasing amount of Ethiopian and Eritrean troops joined the altercation. They offer the following timeline. [9]

Timeline

Around midnight on Saturday June 11, a group of Eritrean National Service members, crossed the border to Ethiopia near Tsorona. On the Ethiopian side of the border, there are several armed Eritrean opposition groups; Eritrean Defense Forces soldiers shot at the deserters and Eritrean opposition groups shot back, resulting in a firefight.

This lasted for several hours during which the Eritrean Defense Forces used mortars and RPGs;

By 5:00 am, the Eritrean opposition groups had retreated as troops from the Ethiopian National Defense Forces arrived from the surrounding area;

The fighting continued until mid-afternoon Monday(June 13), during which the EDF and ENDF exchanged heavy artillery fire. [9]

Conflicting narratives

While both governments blamed each other for initiating the clash, neither side provided details about its escalation. Awate reporters claim that this omission is in the interests of both nations. The Ethiopian government's initial statement denying the “clashes” likely resulted from its hesitance to draw attention to its hosting of armed Eritrean opposition groups. As for the Eritrean government, it does not acknowledge engaging with Eritrean opposition groups, as it does not recognize any Eritrean opposition groups. [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 AFP. "'Significant' casualities in Eritrea and Ethiopia border battle". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  2. 1 2 "Commemoration of Martyrs Day". Archived from the original on June 21, 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Press Release". Archived from the original on 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  4. 1 2 3 "Latest Ethiopia-Eritrea Clash is Culmination of Long-festering Tensions". Archived from the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  5. 1 2 "Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of launching border attack". 2016-06-13. Archived from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  6. ↑ "Ethiopia and Eritrea blame each other for border clash" . Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  7. ↑ "What's Behind Ethiopia and Eritrea's Border Clash?". Newsweek. 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
  8. ↑ "Yet Another Eritrea-Ethiopia Military Clash". Awate.com. 2016-06-13. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
  9. 1 2 ""Deserters", Combatants Triggered Eritrea-Ethiopia Battle". Awate.com. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
  10. ↑ ""Deserters", Combatants Triggered Eritrea-Ethiopia Battle". Awate.com. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
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