evidence: The conflict between the two countries centers on a remote area, Ras Doumeira, the status of which has been a matter of dispute for decades. Tensions first flared up in 1996, when the two countries almost went to war after a Djiboutian official claimed that Eritrea had shelled Ras Doumeira; the matter de-escalated after Eritrea withdrew troops from the area, according to a 2008 paper by the Institute for Security Studies, an African think tank. But 12 years later, the two sides did descend into fighting, albeit briefly. Djibouti accused Eritrea of digging trenches at Ras Doumeira and of stationing troops in its territory. The conflict erupted in June 2008: According to Djibouti, it was triggered when several Eritrean soldiers deserted into Djiboutian territory and failed to return. The number of dead on both sides was unclear, but the U.S. blamed Eritrea for starting the conflict, accusing it of "military aggression." France also backed Djibouti in the conflict, providing medical, logistical and intelligence support." [...] Djibouti says that Eritrea has swooped in to occupy Ras Doumeira following the Qatari pullout. Djibouti's ambassador to Ethiopia, Mohammed Idriss Farah, told the AP that Eritrean forces had "moved in right after the peacekeepers left" and occupied the mountainous region. Djibouti lodged a complaint with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations received correspondence from both sides.