Various left-wing , ethnic , and anti-communist opposition groups supported Supporting by the United States began armed resistance Defending to the Soviet-backed Derg , in addition to the Eritrean separatists already fighting Hostile_encounter in the Eritrean War of Independence .

Various left-wing , ethnic , and anti-communist opposition groups supported Supporting by the United States began armed resistance Defending to the Soviet-backed Derg , in addition to the Eritrean separatists already fighting Hostile_encounter in the Eritrean War of Independence .

The Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought Hostile_encounter between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists from September 1961 to May 1991 .

The Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought Hostile_encounter between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists from September 1961 to May 1991 .

Ethiopia and some of the predominantly Christian part of Eritrea advocated Convincing for union with Ethiopia , while the predominantly Muslim and other areas of Eritrea wanted a separate Eritrean state .

Eritrea 's declining Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale autonomy and growing Expansion discontent with Ethiopian rule caused Causation an independence movement led by the Eritrean Liberation Front ( ELF ) in 1961 , leading Causation Ethiopia to dissolve Dispersal the federation and annex Eritrea the next year .

The Derg enjoyed Getting support from the Soviet Union , Cuba , and other Second World nations in fighting Hostile_encounter against Eritrean separatists supported Supporting by the United States and various other nations .

The Eritrean People 's Liberation Front ( EPLF ) became Becoming the main separatist group in 1977 , expelling Removing the ELF from Eritrea , then exploiting the Ogaden War to launch Process_start a war of attrition against Ethiopia .

In April 1993 , the Eritrean people voted Choosing almost unanimously in favour of independence in the Ethiopia-supported Eritrean independence referendum Change_of_leadership , with formal international recognition Know of an independent , sovereign Eritrea later the same year .

In April 1993 , the Eritrean people voted Choosing almost unanimously in favour of independence in the Ethiopia-supported Eritrean independence referendum Change_of_leadership , with formal international recognition Know of an independent , sovereign Eritrea later the same year .

The Eritrean Civil Wars were two conflicts that were fought Hostile_encounter between competing Competition organizations for the liberation of Eritrea .

The First Eritrean Civil War was fought Hostile_encounter from 1972 to 1974 .

The Eritrean Liberation Front ( ELF ) tried to suppress Hindering dissident groups that disliked the ELF leadership and wished to break Destroying away to form Creating a new insurgency .

The ELF failed to suppress Hindering the dissident groups , who ultimately united Cause_to_amalgamate themselves into the Eritrean People 's Liberation Front ( EPLF ) .

The Second Eritrean Civil War was fought Hostile_encounter from 1980 to 1981 .