Insurgency in Eritrea

The Insurgency in Eritrea or simply known as the Eritrean Civil War, is an ongoing military conflict taking place in numerous southern regions of Eritrea specifically focusing on in the Afrar province, between several Eritrean rebel groups seeking to oust president Isaias Afewerki from office, who has been in power for more than 20 years. The rebels also seek to separate the Afrar tribe and unite it with Djibouti, following years of persecution and repression under the hands of the Eritrean government.

2008
On 16 November, RSADO rebels claimed to have killed over two hundred government troops during an attack in a military training center. The group announced it killing over 285 Eritrean military officers including top military leaders in a military training center, in the remote Denkelliya region of Afambo local area. According to a rebel spokesmen, fighters sneaked up to the military base at around 8:30 local time, and bombarded a hull packed with over 450 Eritrean military officers who were celebrating the end of higher military training. The rebel official added that they also hit a truck carrying gas tanker and a generator outside which completely turned the whole area into a massive fire and end up the fun and laughter into shouts, crying and dead bodies. The group explained the success of the attack claiming it was taken along with the 200 deserted government soldiers who had every inside information needed to accomplish the attack.

2010
On 1 January, the RSADO and ESF were said to have killed 25 government soldiers and wounded at least 38 others, in ambushes on two military camps. According to rebel spokesmen Yasin Mohamed the joint forces made a surprise attack at the camp of 13th sub-division of the 2nd brigade at the vicinity of Kokobay, killing 13 and wounding 20 others. A separate attack killed 12 members of the intelligence unit and wounded 18 others in Kermeti area. The Eritrean government however claimed there soldiers were killed during a border skirmish with Ethiopian troops, resulting in the deaths of 10 Ethiopian soldiers and 25 of theirs. The Ethiopian government supported the rebels claim and announced that there was no border clash at all and the Eritrean government was trying to cover up the rebel attack by implicating Ethiopia.

On 22 April, the RSADO and ESF launched a coordinated attack on several Eritrean military camps in the south of the country. Both rebel groups said in a joint statement that they had briefly taken control over the camps and seized weapons and military intelligence. The attack occurred at around 3 o'clock in the morning and rebels were reported to have held it for three more hours until government forces returned with reinforcements. A total of 11 government soldiers were killed and 20 injured. No rebel casualties were reported. On 28 April, a RSADO spokesman put the army death toll higher at 18 killed and a number of supplies captured during the "surprise" onslaught.

2011
In April, the Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi for the first time declares openly that his government will support rebel groups fighting to overthrow president Isaias Afewerki.

On the early morning of 22 October, ESF and RSADO rebels launched a joint operation labeled under "Operation Democratic Change" where they attacked several Eritrean Army bases in the Eastern province of Afrar Region and carried out in the localities of Kermed, Adi Metras, Ingra Abo, Adli Tela'a, and Meshal Akran. A total of 12 government soldiers were killed and 15 more were injured in the assault with all members belonging to the brigades of the 27th Division. A large amount of military hard ware was destroyed and various types of weapons were captured by the joint forces.

On 1 December, the ESF and RSADO launched a dawn raid on an Eritrean military base in the southern part of the country in Enda Haji near the town of Tsorono. An RSADO spokesmen Yasin Mohamed said his forces held the area until 11am, before they returned to their positions in the safe havens of Ethiopia where the group's headquarters is located. A total of 17 government soldiers were killed, five were injured, and two soldiers were captured by rebel fighters.

2013
On 21 January, mutinous Eritrean soldiers seeking political reform stormed the Ministry of Information building in the capital of Asmara, forcing its television chief to broadcast demands to free political prisoners and put the country's languishing constitution into effect. The attempted "coup" described by several sources, ended peacefully several hours later when the soldiers agreed to leave the ministry.