A Department of Homeland Security Emeritus Center of Excellence led by the University of Maryland

BAAD - Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM) - 2002

 

Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM)

The Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM) was formally established in 1980. A conference was held in Khartoum, Sudan where the National Eritrean Islamic Liberation Front, the Islamic Vanguard, the Organization of Eritrean Pioneer Muslims, and the Islamic Awakening merged to create and headquarter the EIJM.[1] The large majority of EIJM members are Muslim youth network members, conservative Eritreans, or refugees who have sought asylum in Sudan. In 2003, EIJM changed its name to the Eritrean Islamic Reform Movement.[2]

EIJM has three political goals: (1) jihad against the Eritrean government and its president, Isaias Afewerki[3]; (2) to create an Islamic Eritrean State[4]; and retribution for Eritrea’s history of anti-Muslim discrimination.[5] Led by Khalil Mohammed Amer, EIJM’s violent actions and insurgent operations are mainly focused in western Eritrea.[6] EIJM, the Eritrean Liberation Front, Islah, and the Eritrean Federal Democratic Movement (EFDM) created the Eritrean Solidarity Front (ESF).[7] ESF is the umbrella organization for its member insurgent groups, which still exist separately with their own leadership structures.[8] Even with EIJM’s new membership in ESF, EIJM still remains one of the most vocal insurgent groups against Eritrea, and continues to work in representing the repressed Islamic population. View full narrative

Quick Facts for 2002

Founded:
1980

Fatalities:
0 (Total of 1998 through 2012)

Ideologies:
Religious

Strength:
Approximately 200

Territorial Control:
Does Not Control Territory (0)

Funding through Drug Trafficking:
No

Sorry, but there are no organizational details available for this group at this time.

Legend

Primary Ideology

  • Ag = Anti-Globalization
  • An = Anarchist
  • En = Ethnic
  • Ev = Environmental
  • Le = Leftist
  • Re = Religious
  • Ri = Rightist
  • Se = Separatist
  • Su = Supremacist
  • Vi = Vigilante

Relationship

  •  Ally
  •  Suspected Ally
  •  Rival
  •  Violence
  •  Mixed Relations

Lethality

  •  Blue 0 - 1479 fatalities
  •  Green 1479 - 2958 fatalities
  •  Yellow 2958 - 4437 fatalities
  •  Orange 4437 - 5916 fatalities
  •  Red 5916 - 7396 fatalities

Lethality is calculated as the total number of fatalities from 1998-2012.

Strength

Icon sizes depict approximate relative sizes of the organizations.

  • Smallest 0 - 10 members
  •   11 - 100 members
  •   101 - 1000 members
  •   1001 - 10000 members
  • Largest > 10000 members

Other Notes

Icons with no color coding or ideology icon have no detailed data at this time, and are provided as relationship information only.