There have been reports that Eritrean forces have taken part in the fighting that broke out in November last year in neighbouring northern Ethiopia. However, Eritrea and Ethiopia have strongly denied this.
But the Somalis believe that their young men are being secretly recruited in this fight. This apparent secret recruitment of young Somali men to Eritrea is waking up public anger in the country. Protests erupted last week in the capital Mogadishu and the towns of Guriel and Galkayo over the missing recruits.