BREAKING -- RFI: Group of soldiers launch apparent coup attempt in Eritrea capital of Asmara; state TV off air

Michael van Poppel ‏@mpoppel
AFP: Eritrean Troops Besiege Mutineers Inside Information Ministry

#BreakingNews: Eritrean army tanks besieged the information ministry in central Asmara

They had TV? Wow..

BBC-

[link to mobile.bbc.co.uk]

Eritrea is located on a very strategical position along the red sea, won't be surprised if this would affect oil prices.

thanks for link.

Eritrea: 'Troops deployed' in Asmara

Reports from Eritrea say a group of around 100 soldiers have surrounded the ministry of information in the capital, Asmara.

State TV has also reportedly been taken off air in what some have described as a coup attempt

[link to www.bbc.co.uk]

Michael van Poppel ‏@mpoppel
REU: Dissident Eritrean troops demanding release of political prisoners: Eritrean intelligence source

What a coincidence.

America is celebrating its coup today as well.

[link to www.godlikeproductions.com]

Let me know when MSNBC goes off the air.

thanks for pin.

This information has now been confirmed by a reliable source from Asmara.

Around 100 members of the Eritrean Defence force and two tanks stormed the ministry of Information head quarters in Forto just outside Asmara and forced their commanders and also the top officials at the ministry into one room and then went on to force the news reader Asmelash to read announcements that:

they will be freeing all prisoners of conscience
they will implement the constitution
that the ministry of information is under their total control

[link to martinplaut.wordpress.com]

“We do not know who is leading the situation… everybody has been put into the same room (in the ministry),” he said, adding that he had spoken to sources in Asmara.
The reports were not possible to confirm independently.
However, Eritrean expatriates who had spoken to compatriots in Asmara said they could confirm reports that troops had been deployed at the information ministry, and that state television Eri-TV had stopped broadcasting, they told AFP.
All Eritrea’s public media are recorded and broadcast from the ministry.
“The local transmission has been cut, the only satellite signal is airing some archives,” Amanuel added.

[link to www.capitalfm.co.ke]

Eritrean troops besiege mutineers in Asmara: diplomats

Eritrean army tanks besieged the information ministry in central Asmara on Monday after some 200 mutineers seized the building to call for political reform, diplomatic and diaspora sources said Monday.

No shots had been fired and the rest of the city appeared calm, the diplomats added, although very few details were immediately available.

There was no immediate indication it was an attempt to overthrow the government of Eritrea, which has been led by Isaias Afewerki, 66, for some two decades since it broke away from bigger neighbour Ethiopia.

The renegade soldiers forced the director of state television to make an announcement, the Eritrean intelligence official said.

[link to english.alarabiya.net]

I gotta be totally honest with you here...I didn't even know there was an Eritrea...

Learn some new shit every day...now I have to forget something to make room...

It's a desert wasteland full of blacks with AK47's.

Think Detroit without the buildings, cable TV, or EBT cards.

Ban soldiers.

Thanks for the heads up OP. 5*

Interesting development, coup attempt in a country run by a totalitarian regime already. Eritrea ranks last worldwide in press freedom, 179, one position below N.Korea if that's even possible, they only have state tv. Human rights record is poor also off course with even human trafficking allegations against them.

Relations with neighbors are also poor due to disputes and recent wars. What i found surprising in the short research i've just done is Israel describing Eritrea as a strategic ally and the only friendly port in the Red Sea.

Last Edited by insertfunnyusername on 01/21/2013 01:05 PM

It is in the horn of African. Reason I know the nation is because I think the women from there are so fucking hot...

saudi arabia wont be pleased at all.
neither will be sudan.

africa goes apeshit in recent days.
one can only hope that europe has some sort of containment strategy.
if not everything will be at stake.

From a Libyan in London -

noman benotman (@nbenotman)
1/21/13, 5:14 PM
According to opposition leader Adam al-Haj Musa, #Eritrea's defense minister and chief of army staff have been killed.
#Africa

hahahahaha