President Afwerki 1 Feb declined to give customary annual speech in coastal city Massawa for first time in 21 years; 8 Feb broke silence over 21 Jan “mutiny”, said no reason to worry. Arrests over incident continued early Feb. Information ministry 5 Feb banned Eritreans from providing information on mutiny and protests to Al Jazeera, subsequently blocked channel. Eritrean football team that defected in Dec 2012 given asylum in Uganda.

Approx 100 lower-to-middle ranking soldiers 21 Jan seized information ministry, began TV broadcast calling for constitution and release of political prisoners; mutineers reportedly surrendered. Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed late Jan admitted defection from regime. Opposition conference held 13 Jan in Sweden called for international intervention to end human rights violations by President Afewerki’s regime.

Govt 1 Nov accused Ethiopia of obstructing Eritrea’s efforts to rejoin Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Exiled Red Sea Afar Democratic Organisation (RSADO) 13 Nov again called for public uprising against govt, said Eritrea facing crisis, pointed to growing division between political and military leaders.

In 27 Sept letter to UNSC released 8 Oct, govt requested UNSC lift sanctions imposed 2009 over its support to Somali militants, said Ethiopia “actively engaged in destabilising” Eritrea. Ethiopia-based opposition Red Sea Afar Democratic Organisation(RSADO) 20 Oct accused Asmara govt of forcibly displacing Afar Ethnic minority in Galalo. 2 senior air force officers early month reportedly defected to Saudi Arabia.

UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea report 13 July documented reduced Eritrean govt support for al-Shabaab, reported involvement in arms, human trafficking; UNSC 25 July extended Group’s mandate to Aug 2013. U.S. 5 July imposed sanctions on Eritrean intelligence officer Col. Tewolde Negash and Col. Taeme Goitom, alleging they assisted al-Shabaab, other Islamist militants in Somalia.

Relations with U.S. deteriorated as U.S. govt 17 May announced suspension of consular, diplomatic services in Eritrea, reportedly in response to Eritrean refusal to guarantee visas for diplomatic staff. President Afewerki received Sudanese counterpart late May, discussed bilateral relations.

President Afewerki 28 April appeared on TV dispelling rumours of death, amid reports of fatal illness; govt claimed rumours originate with CIA; rumours raised tensions and prospect of internal instability. Tensions with Ethiopia continued: govt 18 April denied abducting over 100 Ethiopian miners (see Ethiopia). Small Arms Survey report released 17 April said Eritrea supplying S Sudan rebels with weapons.

Relations with Ethiopia deteriorated further as Ethiopian troops 15 March reportedly attacked military bases in Ramid, Gelahbe, Gimbe, SE Eritrea; Ethiopian govt said bases used to train insurgents, responsible for tourist deaths in Afar region; Eritrean govt 16 March called on UN to take action against Ethiopia, said U.S. aided Ethiopian assault, attack aimed to divert attention from decade-old border dispute.

Opposition Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) official Mohammed Ali Ibrahim reported missing in Kassala, eastern Sudan; EPDP 17 Feb alleged Ibrahim abducted by Asmara security agents; Khartoum suspected of complicity. Govt 23 Feb criticised “foreign meddling” in Somalia, called for “Somali people-owned” dialogue.

Govt 18 Jan denied accusations Eritrea “armed andtrained” gunmen who killed 5 tourists in Ethiopia, 23 Jan requested UN investigation (see Ethiopia entry). Mid Jan UN report found insufficient evidence Asmara supplied Somali militants with weapons in 2011; Eritrean envoy to UN 17 Jan called for lifting of sanctions.