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Eritrea/Ethiopia: 298 Ethiopian civilians and 15 Eritrean civilians repatriated

11-11-2005 News Release 05/79

On 11 November 2005, 298 Ethiopian civilians were repatriated from Eritrea to Ethiopia under ICRC auspices. The group included 8 unaccompanied minors, 2 elderly persons and 2 sick persons who were returning home to their families.

As part of the same operation, 15 Eritrean civilians were repatriated from Ethiopia to Eritrea. This group included 4 unaccompanied minors who were also returning home to their families.

Acting in its capacity as a neutral and independent intermediary, the ICRC repatriated both groups with the cooperation of the authorities. ICRC delegates based in Eritrea and an ambulance team of the Eritrean Red Cross accompanied the Ethiopian civilians on the first leg of their journey from Asmara, Eritrea's capital, to the border. At the Mereb river crossing point, between the towns of Adi Quala in Eritrea and Rama in Ethiopia, the group was met by ICRC delegates based in Ethiopia before being placed in the care of the Ethiopian authorities. 

On the same day, ICRC delegates based in Ethiopia accompanied the Eritrean civilians to the border, where they were met by ICRC delegates based in Eritrea before being placed in the care of the Eritrean authorities.

The ICRC has been helping people affected by the 1998-2000 armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea to return to their respective countries since June 2000. At the same time it works to ensure compliance with the rules and principles of international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions.

 For further information, please contact:  

 Anna Schaff, ICRC Addis Ababa, tel. +251 91 148 0921  

 Marco Yuri Jiménez Rodríguez, ICRC Geneva, tel. +41 22 730 2271