Eritrean Defence Forces 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 . History . 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 . Eritrean ( native soldiers ) , along with Italian troops occupied Ethiopia in 1936 , 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 ) . Manpower . The Eritrean Defence Forces are one of the largest in Africa alongside 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 . National service . Every able bodied man and woman is required to serve ostensibly for 1½ years . In this time they receive six months of military training and the balance is spent working on national reconstruction projects . This is outlined in both the Constitution of Eritrea and Proclamation 82 issued by the National Assembly on 1995 - 10 - 23 . However , the period of enlistment may be extended during times of national crisis and the typical period of national service is considerably longer than the minimum . This program aims to compensate for Eritrea ’ s lack of capital and to reduce dependence on foreign aid , while welding together an ethnically diverse society , half Christian and half Muslim , representing nine ethnic groups . Military training is given at the Sawa Defence Training Centre and Kiloma Military Training Centre . Students , both male and female , are required to attend the Sawa Training Centre to complete the final year of their secondary education , which is integrated with their military service . If a student does not attend this period of training , he or she will not be allowed to attend university - many routes to employment also require proof of military training . However , they may be able to attend a vocational training centre , or to find work in the private sector . At the end of the 1½ year national service , a conscript can elect to stay on and become a career military officer . If the conscript elects otherwise , in theory , they may return to their civilian life but will continue to be a reservist . In practice , graduates of military service are often chosen for further national service according to their vocation - for example , teachers may be compulsorily seconded for several years to schools in an unfamiliar region of the country . According to the Government of Eritrea , " The sole objective of the National Service program is thus to cultivate capable , hardworking , and alert individuals . " The salary for National Service conscripts is typically very low . First - year conscripts are generally paid 145 nakfa ( 9 . 66 dollars ) per month . This rises to 500 nakfa ( 33 dollars ) per month after the first year of service . Current issues . , Eritrea is embroiled in a military stalemate with its neighbour , Ethiopia . It is estimated that Eritrea maintains a force of at least 300 , 000 soldiers on the border with Ethiopia . While this matches the Ethiopian side , it is done so at considerably greater proportionate expense , given the far larger population from which Ethiopia is able to draw . Branches of the EDF . The Eritrean Defence Forces ( EDF ) are composed of three branches : Air Force , Army , and Navy . The Army is by far the largest , followed by the Air Force and Navy . The Commander - in - Chief of the EDF is the President of Eritrea . The Minister of Defence oversees the EDF on a day - to - day basis . Eritrea colonial history , Eritrean infantry and cavalry , ascari pictures / photos galleries and videos .