afrol News, 27 June - African Union has commissioned a team of investigators to unravel route cause of Djibouti and Eritrea clashes. The fact-finding mission commissioned today will resume work in Djibouti and end its mission in Eritrea in an undisclosed time frame.

Djibouti which has accused Eritrea of moving its troops across the border and also digging trenches and building fortifications on the Djiboutian side of the frontier in mid April leading to an army confrontation which killed a dozen Djiboutian soldiers with others wounded.

This month's confrontation was the first clash since 1996. Tensions upped between the two neighbours two months ago had raised fears of full military confrontation.

The two countries had in the past clashed twice over the border area at the southern end of the Red Sea.

AU Commission chairman, Jean Ping expressed his concerns on hostilities between the two countries, urging both parties to find a happy solution to their situation.

The violent clashes between two states prompted U.N. Security Council to call on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send a mission to the region to find out details of the contentious situation.

Following the mission, Mr Joao Honwana, U.N. director of department of political affairs' Africa Division said "The situation along the joint border was calm but tense, with military regrouping occurring on both sides and a de facto cease-fire continuing to hold".

Djibouti has claimed calmness on the border last week since being backed by French troops, saying despite the situation, French warships would arrive off its coast soon.

Djibouti hosts French largest overseas military base since signing a mutual defense pact with Paris in 1977. It also hosts a United States military base.

Since Eritrea gained independence in 1993 from Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa country has been involved in two serious conflicts over territorial demarcations with its neighbours.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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