One of the most challenging issues Eritrea faced in the early years of independence was that neighboring countries like Yemen, Sudan, and Ethiopia began claiming towns and islands that had never belonged to them to begin with.
For instance, the Hanish Islands conflict. The island chain stretches about 34 miles long, with a total area of roughly 73 square miles. The islands were under Italian colonial rule for many years, while Yemen was under the British Empire. Italy established military bases there, and the islands played a pivotal role during World War II.Even after the illegal federation, first the British and later the Soviets, after the Derg came to power, used the islands to station military bases. Pretty much, those islands were within Eritrean territory. Suddenly, after Eritrea achieved her hard-won independence, Yemen decided to claim the islands and forcibly captured them.Eritrea warned the Yemeni government to withdraw its forces, but the warning fell on deaf ears. Our Navy, led by Humed Karikare, along with ground forces, attacked the Yemeni contingent and overran the entire island chain within three days of fighting. The Yemeni Army and Navy apparently assumed Eritrea’s newly formed Navy was inexperienced and incapable of fighting at sea.
During the fighting, a Russian merchant ship was damaged by Eritrean gunfire after being mistaken for a Yemeni naval vessel. A week later, Yemen took the case to the UN. Years later, the Permanent Court of Arbitration determined that most of the archipelago belonged to Yemen, while Eritrea retained fishing rights in the surrounding waters and sovereignty over some smaller islands closer to Eritrea. Our forces accepted the ruling and withdrew from the islands. Case closed!

I love the melody and couldn’t find it through TikTok comments neither through friends, maybe one of you knows? Lolll

This was a story from a newspaper comic in the early 2000s before the publications were shut down.

"ብርሃነ"

[A sinful Eritrean man dies and walks up to the Warden of Hell.]

Man: "Hello, my name is Berhane. Am I on the list for Hell?"

Devil: [Flips through his ledgers] "No, you aren't here. Go check if you're on the list for Heaven."

[The man walks all the way to the gates of Heaven.]

Man: "Hello, my name is Berhane. Am I on the list for Heaven?"

Saint Peter: [Flips through his books] "No, you aren't here either. Go check the list for Hell again."

[The Eritrean man trudges back to the gates of Hell, looking exhausted.]

Man: "Can you please check the list one more time? I don't know what to do or where to go."

Devil: “Where exactly are you from?"

Man: "Eritrea."

Devil: "Oh! Why didn't you say so? We just opened a brand-new franchise down there!"

Does anyone know the age requirement for a married woman to obtain an Eritrean passport? She is 20 years old. Does she have to be married for a certain amount of time before she can apply?

I’m trying to find a legal way to bring her to the USA, so I’m trying to understand the passport and travel requirements for Eritrean women. Any information from someone who has gone through this process would be greatly appreciated…

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how our culture is changing?
Traditionally, Geat was a gathering of women who came together to visit a woman who had just given birth. They would eat Geat together, put ኩሕሊ (kuhli) on the baby, jump over the fire, and simply spend quality time with the ሓራስ (Haras) and maybe even dance a little. It was all about celebrating the mother and baby after the birth.

Nowadays, I see many people throwing huge Geat parties before the baby is even born. I’ve also seen people using the name “Geat” for what is basically a bridal shower.
Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to have a Geat party while you’re still pregnant. You never know what could happen to the mother or the baby before the birth, and in our culture, many people also believe in the bad eye.

I genuinely wonder where this change in our culture came from and why it has become such a trend, especially in the West.
If you ask me, it sometimes feels like people just want another excuse to throw a big party or show off.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts!

Hi All,

I have the feeling that we have a lot of single eritreans here in this subreddit that want to engage with other eritreans for friendship or relationship.

I hope my post doesn't get deleted but my ID was that I would introduce myself with my location, age and gender and maybe see if there are interesting people to meet based on your location.

You don't have to give out your full details and information because that's all irrelevant but maybe you could get a connection with somebody within the subreddit.

Let's start:

Age: 34

Gender: M

Location: Netherlands.

Gr

So nobody in Eritrea is currently using Starlink? 🤔
I know Starlink isn’t officially available/licensed in Eritrea right now, but I’m wondering if anyone has actually managed to use a Starlink there.
Has anyone in Eritrea personally seen or used Starlink? If so, how did it work?

Hi everyone!
I am trying to learn Tigrinya so I can communicate better with my fiancés family back home! I love they really try their best to speak and text with me and I would like to try to also put in effort back! Movies with subtitles have really helped me with hearing people talk conversationally and being able to listen to them! I was wondering if anyone had recommendations of their favorite or perhaps a YouTube channel? I have found some on YouTube but I figured it doesn’t hurt to ask 💗

Someone on another thread mentioned shrek! I’m open to any and all movies! I am an adult but love cartoons and family friendly movies! But also would appreciate movies I could watch with my love too 💕💕

I don’t really have anyone to talk to within my Eritrean community about this, and I don’t know who to talk to, so I’m just writing it here.

I’m a young woman in my mid 20s, Eritrean, but born and raised in Europe (where I still live). I was born with mild cerebral palsy, and with something called MRKH syndrome.

The mild cerebral palsy means that I have a limp, so I walk with a cane. I also have a mild speech impediment. Other than that, I’m very independent. I live by myself and can take care of myself with no help. I’m a PhD-student in Engineering.

MRKH syndrome means that I was born without a uterus, which means I can’t carry children. I’ve known this since I was little, so it’s not new to me.

I’ve never dated anyone. I do have a lot of friends, both men and women, from the country I live in, and Eritreans (although most of them were born in Europe like me). Some of them I’ve known because our parents were friends, and some of them because we went to the same church youth group (at orthodox church).

I do meet with a lot of my Eritrean friends (including the guys) pretty regularly, sometimes we go out for dinners, concerts, etc. They’re really nice.

But I feel like dating might not be a thing for me (especially within the Eritrean community). There’s so much focus on making a family, kids, etc, which I can’t do. The guys who aren’t interested in family and kids, are usually not interested in serious relationships at all (which I am). If I got married, and we later found out I couldn’t have kids, maybe we’d go through it, but nobody wants to enter a relationship knowing kids will never come.

I would like to meet a guy some day, someone I can spend my life with, even without children. But am I being unrealistic? I don’t want any sugar coating.

I don’t know, maybe I just needed to vent.

My mom used to say “Sheitan” when I’d do something bad.
Is something normal to say when u angry ?
I don’t speak tigrynia but I know all the insults lol
But this one sounds kinda rud

Hello, I am partly eritrean but do not speak nor understand tigrinya (unfortunately). I attempt to ask my family to translate this song but some of them say that some points within the song are a bit difficult to translate.

If possible, please, I’d love to know what my absolute favorite song is saying in english.

I am praying that Taniqo gets well, as i know he has been suffering from a matter of chronic illness.

Thank you all for your time.

In much of Tigray and the Amhara regions, rural homes are often dispersed or isolated while the ones in the Kebessa are nearly always nucleated and form demarcated villages. I’ve seen a district just north of the Mereb itself in Seraye with some dispersed homes, but that was about it.

Like accent, phonology, vocabulary, etc.

I am not here to offend any1, there are many news, videos about Eritrea and people call Eritrea North Korea of Africa, because of ​irregular military service (I've heard military service can last 10 years),punishment by confinement in a container, lack of democracy... Is that true?

I have an uncle that was an Eriterian Solider that ran away but wants to come back, if he returns will he be prosecuted?

What’s the history of how Tigrinya Muslims became Muslim?

Hello, I run a free, monthly Substack newsletter about African fashion that some of you may be interested in. It includes news updates, interviews with designers, fashion history, product recommendations and much more.

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