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| "From
day one of its dispute with Ethiopia, Eritrea has clearly stated that the border dispute
cannot be solved by staging a war;" ALFAJAR, A HORN OF AFRICA WEEKLY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN LONDON, Volume 2, Issue No. 95 March 7, 1999 |
| The New York Times, By Ian Fisher, March 18, 1999 |
| "Ethiopia responded by
saying the bodies and tanks were simply an Eritrean "drama staged for the benefit of
journalists." "NCN has been told by a highly reliable Washington source that the reports are true that Ethiopia lost perhaps as many as 10,000 soldiers in the last major battle, dubbed "Operation Sunset" by the Ethiopians, that occurred on February 23-26. Ethiopia claimed total victory in that battle, and there was massive jubilation in the streets of Addis Ababa. What Ethiopians have not been told is the enormous toll on their forces. In that battle, Eritrea said 9,000 Ethiopian soldiers were lost as they launched old-time Chinese-style human wave assaults against Eritrea's heavily fortified defensive emplacements. NCN has now been informed the Eritrean estimate is accurate." March 17, 1999 16:14 GMT Updated 18:26 GMT Excerpt Horn of Africa War Source:<http://www.marekinc.com/NCNNews031701.html> |
| "Eritrea took journalists
to the Tsorona front, along the central part of the border, 60 miles south of the Eritrean
capital Asmara, after claiming to have killed 10,000 Ethiopian in a three-day battle that
ended March 19. Ethiopia denied Eritrea's claim as ``drama staged for the benefit of journalists,'' but reporters who toured a portion of the battlefield near Tsorona said they saw hundreds of bodies of Ethiopian soldiers." Monday, March 29, 1999 6:15 AM EST ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) |
| "Meanwhile, an Ethiopian
government spokeswoman has denied that Ethiopian troops suffered heavy losses in fighting
at Tsorona, accusing Eritrea of staging a theatrical display to boost morale. But a BBC correspondent who visited the front yesterday reported seeing hundreds of Ethiopian bodies, and more than twenty wrecked tanks in one small area. " Wednesday, March 17, 1999 Published at 19:54 GMT BBC World: Africa |
| "Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
acknowledged recently in an interview with AFP that foreigners were training Ethiopian
pilots and maintaining the aircraft." ADDIS ABABA and ASMARA, Feb 26, 1999 (AFP) |
| They [Ethiopian Mercenaries] took part in the
bombings of cities in Eritrea, using SU and MiG planes. Western media report that large
numbers of Russian-speaking servicemen are in the city [of] Mekele..." I Z V E S T I Y A Independent Russian Paper 1999/02/22 |
| "The peace plan calls for
Ethiopia and Eritrea to withdraw to positions they held before the border war broke
out." BBC World: Africa: Peace plea for Horn conflict Tuesday, March 23, 1999 Published at 07:31 GMT |
| "In June, Eritrea's air
force bombed a school in Mekele, northern Ethiopia, killing 55. The Eritrean government
said the school bombing was a mistake; a nearby airport had been targeted." Dave Mullington The Ottawa Citizen March 27, 1999, FINAL |
| "In Asmara, Yemane Ghebremeskel, chief of staff
to President Issaias Afeworki, told AFP Thursday the Eritrean air force was
protecting Eritrea's skies, but not taking part in combat." ADDIS ABABA and ASMARA, Feb 26 (AFP) |
| "Eritrea denies bombing Ethiopian town" BBC, Friday, February 5, 1999 Published at 14:44 GMT "Several people staying in Adigrat, contacted by phone, have said they were unaware of any [Eritrean] raid." BBC, Friday, February 5, 1999 Published at 14:44 GMT |
| "Ethiopia launched an offensive against neighboring Eritrea on February 6, ostensibly aimed at retaking the disputed border area around the town of Badme." Global Intelligence February 9, 1999 |
| "Diplomats and experts here in the Eritrean capital have independent confirmation of many of Asmara's claims of victory on the front lines." Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) / Mon, 15 Feb 1999 9:33:10 PST |
| "On the Eritrean side, government guides accompany foreign
journalists to the front lines..." Juliette Hollier-Larousse ADDIS ABABA, Feb 13 (AFP) |
| "Eritrea appeared in control at the disputed border post of Gazagerehlase, which Ethiopia says it seized over the weekend." GAZAGEREHLASE, on Ethiopia-Eritrea border, Feb 8 (Reuters) By David Fox 10:43 PM Local Time |
| "WHILE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONFIRM, ERITREAN CLAIMS OF VICTORY AT THIS FRONT APPEARED TO BE VALID." DIANNA CAHN Source: Voice of America 11-Feb-99 7:56 AM EST (1256 UTC) |
| "Eritrean forces held their position, he said, a claim generally supported by diplomats here. " Washington Post, Sunday, February 14, 1999; Page A29 |
| "The Ethiopian government, meanwhile, released casualty figures
Friday claiming that 7,000 Eritreans had been killed and six of their tanks destroyed. The
Ethiopians did not say what their own casualties were. In any case, the figures -- which could not be independently confirmed -- contrasted sharply with reports from journalists in the area, who have seen no signs of mass killings, graves or large-scale mourning in Eritrea." By DIANNA CAHN, ASMARA, Eritrea (AP) AP-NY-02-12-99 1642EST |
| "NCN reported earlier that sketchy news accounts coming from the battlefield area reflected Ethiopian forces on the offensive, crossing into lands held by the Eritreans, while the Eritrean forces were in the main in defensive positions." http://www.marekinc.com/NCNNews021201.html |
| "One foreign expert in Asmara with access to independent information told AFP that on the eastern front: "The Ethiopians began the show, but we don't understand what they're aiming at." by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) / Sun, 14 Feb 1999 10:42:39 PST Reported from ADDIS ABABA, Feb 14 1999 |