The Ethiopian Government claimed Eritrea was trying to cover up an internal crisis by implicating Ethiopia.

Eritrea had also recently been slapped with sanctions by the United Nations, after it was accused of supplying arms and weapons to militants and the opposition to the Somalia Government.

The sanctions also came after Eritrea refused to deal with a border dispute with neighbouring Djibouti.

[3] According to the Eritrean Information Ministry, Ethiopian forces crossed the border early on New Year's Day and engaged in a fierce battle with Eritrean troops using small arms, assault rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades.

Several AK-47 assault rifles, a machine gun, and some radio equipment were left behind by the Ethiopian forces.