In December 1995, Eritrean and Yemeni forces clashed over control of the Hanish islands, close to the mouth of the Red Sea. The fighting itself was brief and the outcome clear: by Sunday, 17 December, the Eritreans were in control Greater Hanish, having routed the Yemenis, taking 195 prisoners. However, the origins of the dispute and the consequences for the region are far from self evident.