Political attempts at reconciliation were made in October 1997 with the creation of an Afar conference, and again in November, though both of these failed. Mohamooda Gaas made a statement declaring unilateral cease-fire with government forces on 5 June 1998 after the beginning of the 1998-2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War and an Eritrean attack on the town of Alitena, inhabited primarily by Irob people (an ethnicity closely related linguistically to Afars).
Political efforts to achieve peace were made in October 1997 with the establishment of an Afar conference, and again in November, although both attempts proved unsuccessful. Mohamooda Gaas issued a declaration announcing a unilateral ceasefire with government forces on June 5, 1998, following the outbreak of the 1998-2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War and an Eritrean attack on the town of Alitena, predominantly inhabited by Irob people (an ethnicity closely related linguistically to Afars).