Reply With Quotein this war interestin was, that both sides contracted former russian pilots a Private military contractors.
the pilots don't fought with themselves, but only bombard civilians...
Ethiopian-Eritrean War
Ethiopian-Eritrean War
The War
The fighting quickly escalated to exchanges of artillery and tank fire and four weeks of intense fighting. Ethiopia launched air strikes against Eritrea's capital, Asmara. Eritrean aircraft then bombed the northern Ethiopian towns of Adigrat and Mek'ele. Ground troops fought on three fronts.
There was then a lull as both sides mobilized huge forces along their common border and settled into a period of Trench warfare similar to that of World War I. Both countries spent several hundred million dollars on new military equipment. In late June 1998, both sides agreed to halt air raids.
In October 1998, however, they renewed their mobilization efforts, moving soldiers and arms to the border. Hostilities involving artillery, tanks, ground troops, and warplanes resumed in February 1999 when Ethiopia took back Badme from Eritrea.
The fighting led to massive internal displacement in both countries as civilians fled the war zone. Ethiopia expelled 77,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin, compounding Eritrea's refugee problem. The economies of both countries were already weak as a result of decades of revolution, civil war and drought. The war exacerbated these problems, resulting in food shortages. Prior to the war, 67% of Eritrea's trade was with Ethiopia, and Eritrea imported much of its food from Ethiopia as it could only provide one-quarter of the food it needed.
The fighting also spread as the Eritrean government began supporting the Oromo Liberation Front, a rebel group seeking independence of Oromia from Ethiopia that was based in a part of Somalia controlled by Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Ethiopia retaliated by supporting groups in southern Somalia who were opposed to Aidid, and by renewing relations with the Islamic regime in Sudan – which is accused of supporting the Eritrean Islamic Salvation, a Sudan-based group that had launched terrorist attacks in the Eritrea-Sudan border region – while also lending support to various Eritrean rebel groups including a group known as the Eritrean Islamic Jihad.
After a series of failed international mediations to stop the war, in May 2000, Ethiopia launched an offensive that broke through the Eritrean lines between Shambuko and Mendefera, crossed the Mareb River, and cut the road between Barentu to Mendefera, the main supply line for Eritrean troops on the western front of the fighting.
In May 2000, Ethiopia occupied about a quarter of Eritrea's territory, displacing 650,000 people and destroying key components of Eritrea's infrastructure. The Eritreans evacuated the disputed border town of Zalambessa and other disputed areas on the central front claiming it was a 'tactical retreat' to take away one of Ethiopia's last remaining excuses for continuing the war. Having recaptured its territory, Ethiopia declared the war was over. As they were in a strategically vulnerable position, the Eritreans were willing accept the ceasefire offer, followed by peace agreement. Eritrea claimed that 19,000 Eritrean soldiers were killed during the conflict, while Ethiopian casualties are in the tens of thousands, killed principally in the two major assaults in February-June 1999 and May-June 2000.
The governments of both countries are widely accused of using the conflict as a basis for suppressing internal dissent.
Rest @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean-Ethiopian_War
Ethiopia
Military branches:
Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Air Force
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 14,568,277
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 8,072,755
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$595.9 million (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.4% (2000 est.)
Eritrea
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 893,361
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 555,553
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$520.1 million (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
30.7% (2000 est.)
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[img]http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/681/mapbadogliogashse****n0.th.jpg[/img]
in this war interestin was, that both sides contracted former russian pilots a Private military contractors.
the pilots don't fought with themselves, but only bombard civilians...
And this is source of my informations:
(warning!in German)
http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb5/frieden...vatarmeen.html
Chechens also hired Polish pilots to bomb Russian civilians during the war in Chechnya. here is an article
sorry in Arabic
http://www.bentqatar.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5285
Nice pictures!
I have some pictures to share too as I`m very interested in the Eritrean Army.
Eritrean SU-27 (bought after the war to counter Ethiopian SU-27 that proved superior to the Eritrean Mig-29`s)
Check Asmara airport in Google Earth and you will see both Su-27`s and Mig-29 parked on the runway.
Ethiopian Mi-24 Hind captured by Eritrea after landing in the wrong place:
Destroyed Ethiopian T-55 tanks on the battlefield:
Thanks for creating this thread Stormy and good pictures.
Is this an M-46 130mm gun?
Yes, it is a 130 mm M-46 and I think it belongs to the Eritrean Army.Originally Posted by Laworkerbee
Thanks for creating this thread Stormy and good pictures.
Is this an M-46 130mm gun?
what is that?an arabic cookbook?
it wasn't an attack on russians, as i wrote about military contractors in this war.
i wrote (maybe not so clear) that on both sides there were pilots of the same nationality (the pilots often knew themselves from russian military academies - it is clear they didnt want to attack themeselves, and they didn't that).
they only attack civilians....
The german info:
"Fraglich ist, ob man in einer kritischen Situation, etwa an der Front, auf die Loyalität der Söldner zählen kann. Diese Frage mussten sich Äthiopien und Eritrea nach ihrem Krieg von 1997 bis 1999 stellen. Die äthiopische Regierung hatte eine komplette Luftwaffe bei der russischen Militärfirma Sukhoi gemietet, inklusive Kampfjets und 250 russischen Piloten und Mechanikern. Auch Eritrea hatte russische Piloten engagiert. Im Krieg stellte sich dann heraus, dass die russisch-äthiopische Luftwaffe zwar bereitwillig zivile Ziele bombardierte, jedoch nur ungern die russisch-eritreische Luftwaffe angriff, wo ja immerhin frühere Kollegen aus Russland in den Kampfflugzeugen saßen. "
http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb5/frieden...vatarmeen.html
Could any German translate it in English now?
PS. I'm polish nationality, but i like russian culture...
This former Ethiopian MiG-23BN was captured at Asmara, in May 1991. Eritrean markings and even a personal name were applied to the aircraft, but it was never to fly again.
By mid-1980s, the surviving Ethiopian F-5s and F-86s (operated by the 1st and 5th Sqn during the 1960s and 1970s, respectively) were little more than wrecks. In 1985 several F-5As and F-5Es were sold to Iran; the Iranians found the planes for which they paid $68 million in such a poor condition that they wanted to turn them back
A scene moments after the Ethiopian strike by four EtAF MiG-23BNs against the Asmara AB, on 29 May 2000. Neither the MiG-29UB nor the Mi-35 (the example captured a year before) were damaged despite a number of bombs falling around them, but several other buildings on the airfield - including the control tower - were heavily hit and left afire
Aslan Mashadow hase a realy good relation in polland and Latvia if I remember right - he got years of service there - just like in Hungary - I spoke with a man afther Aslans death who use to give the rent for him (80's) - this man sad Aslan was a realy good and honest man - and he's got many many friends from all around in eastern europa... so the Chechen line is understandable -
- after 98 some Hungarian mechanic repair ethiopis warplanes as well..
in my capital city is (or will be in few weeks) a Dudajev-Rondo
Last edited by Wachmistrz; 07-21-2006 at 05:16 AM.
Thanks for the pictures guys. I was in Asmara in 98 for a few weeks and fall in love with the people and country. I hope they get the border resolved soon, so the people can move on with there lives. Any more pictures?
SU 27 vs Mig 29
the SU won
thanks for posting
very interesting
Any info on ethiopian and eritrean Special forces? Neither of them proved well during fighting so far I know..
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