Eritrean Defence Forces
|
Military of Eritrea |
|
|---|---|
EDF
|
|
| Founded | 1991 |
| Service branches |
Eritrean Army Eritrean Air Force Eritrean Navy |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Isaias Afewerki |
| Minister of Defence | General Sebhat Ephrem |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | 18 |
| Available for military service |
1,985,023 males, age 18-40(2004 est.), 1,980,987 females, age 18-40(2004 est.) |
| Fit for military service |
1,599,979 males, age 18-40(2004 est.), 1,590,899 females, age 18-40(2004 est.) |
| Active personnel | 320,000 |
| Reserve personnel | 250,000 |
| Deployed personnel | 0 (2014 est.) |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP |
20.9% (2009 est.) US$ 220.1 million |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |
 Iran Israel Saudi Arabia
|
| Related articles | |
| History |
Eritrean War of Independence Hanish Islands Crisis Eritrean–Ethiopian War Djiboutian–Eritrean border conflict 2013 Eritrean Army mutiny Battle of Tsorona |
20.9% (2009 est.)
The Eritrean Defence Forces military role stems from Eritrea's strategic geographical location. It is located on the Red Sea with a foothold on the Straits of Bab al-Mandeb.
Military history in Eritrea stretches back for thousands of years; during ancient times up until the current day, the society of Eritreans has dealt with war and peace. During the kingdom of Medri Bahri, the military fought numerous battles against the invading forces of the Abyssinians to the south and the Ottoman Turks at the Red Sea.
In the 16th century the port of Massawa was used by the Ottomans to protect sea lanes from disruption, while more recently it was used by the Italians during their colonial occupation. The kingdom of Medri Bahri was dissolved and the Colony of Eritrea was founded by the Italians in 1890, shortly after the opening of the Suez Canal. When Italian troops occupied Ethiopia in 1936, Eritrean native soldiers (known as Askaris or Banda, the latter denotes their "betrayal" and service for the enemy) supported the invading force. However, this was reversed by British and Ethiopian troops in 1941. The Eritrean infantry battalions and cavalry squadrons of the "Reale Esercito Coloniale" (Royal Colonial Army) saw extensive service in the various Italian colonial territories between 1888 and 1942.
During the war for Eritrea's independence rebel movements (the ELF and the EPLF) used volunteers. In the final years of the struggle for independence, the EPLF ranks grew to 110,000 volunteers (some 3% of the total population).
The Eritrean Defence Forces are among the largest in Africa alongside those of Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco. The size of Eritrea's population is small, particularly when compared to its neighbors. During peacetime the military of Eritrea numbers approximately 45,000 with a reserve force of approximately 250,000.
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