Ethiopia troops attack rebel bases in Eritrea
Photo/JENNY VAUGHAN/AFP Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal speaks in Addis Ababa on March 15, 2012, where he announced that Ethiopia had attacked an Eritrean military base .
By ARGAW ASHINE NATION Correspondent
Posted Thursday, March 15 2012 at 18:05
Posted Thursday, March 15 2012 at 18:05
Ethiopian troops on Thursday carried out military attacks on rebel bases in Eritrea.
Ethiopian government spokesperson Shimeles Kemal told reporters in the capital Addis Ababa that the military carried out missile attacks on the posts in Ramid, Gelahbe and Gimbi, 16 kilometres inside south-eastern Eritrea.
Kemal said the targeted rebels were the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front, who were involved in the abduction and killing of tourists last month.
“Our national defence force has today (Thursday) attacked military posts in Eritrea in which subversive and anti-peace elements were trained,” said Kemal.
“Today’s (Thursday's) action does not constitute a direct military confrontation against Eritrea.
“The Ethiopian defence force entered Eritrea and launched a successful attack against military posts that have been used to organise, finance and train the subversive groups,” Kemal said.
He, however, did not give details on casualties from both sides.
The spokesman downplayed possible retaliation from Eritrea, saying Asmara was not in a position to launch a counter- attack.
However, Eritrea sources said the country’s authorities will meet to discuss how to respond to the attacks by Ethiopia.
Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front claimed responsibility for the abduction of the tourists and blamed Ethiopia for the killing of five European tourists during an exchange of fire with Ethiopian troops.
Ethiopia insisted Eritrea was behind the attacks on the tourists but Asmara denied the accusation.
The two countries fought a bloody war between 1998 and 2000, which claimed more than 80,000 people.
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