By Elias Meseret | AP
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s military was provoked into launching this week’s attack on Eritrean forces in a disputed border area, a government official said Tuesday.
Eritrean forces fired into Ethiopian positions Sunday, leading to a counter-offensive by Ethiopian troops, government spokesman Getachew Reda told reporters.
There was a “major military engagement” between Eritrean and Ethiopian forces that lasted until Monday, he said.
“I hope this time around they won’t make that stupid mistake of inviting us to wage a full-scale war,” Reda said.
He did not provide details about casualties.
Eritrea said Sunday that Ethiopian troops had attacked its position in the Tsorona Central Front, a border area between the two countries that saw one of the bloodiest battles during their 1998-2000 border war.
“The latest incident has indicated that minor incidents in the two countries’ border areas can easily escalate into a full-scale war,” said Seyoum Teshome, a lecturer at Ethiopia’s Ambo University.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have no diplomatic relations and often accuse each other of supporting opposition groups across the border.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has urged both countries to exercise restraint.
Who ever provokes:
– Both EPLF and TPLF are enemy of E and E!
– Both are inhuman gangs!
– Both may use it to divert attention
– EPLF and TPLF are inseparable. They are covenant friends.
– Either of it can not survive with out the other
Both should be buried in due time!
Rise up E & E!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This brawl between neighborhood bullies must stop.
This justifies Al-Toweel’s argument that his national military service should remain perpetual with no end. Doesn’t? Boy, he knows how to play the world public opinion. He goes…’You see what I mean? Ethiopia remains a close and immediate danger. Ethiopia has and will continue to have this mad ambition to invade and take away Eritrea. That is why Eritrea needs a permanent national service until this threat is gone. I have a historical mission to liberate Ogadenians, Oromians and now Amharians. Period!!! Get it? Period!!!’. Now what is the gossip I am hearing about the G7 folks circulating a document to have every member of the Diaspora sign pledging allegiance to defend Al-Toweel’s Eritrea? Is that true? What is content of the document? I appreciate if someone sheds a light on this one. What is wrong with these PHD’d like Nega of the G7’s and others like him? What is the matter with them? I know those in and around OLF are stricken with a heavy dose of vertigo. Someone who used to be one them told me the other day that even the Wahhabis are not interested in OLF because they believe there is too much missionary work in it. They rather like those who make themselves fools by shouting this ‘Ethiopia out of Oromia’. That is why funds are flowing to them ‘Ala-gumb’. You see what I mean? Some one told me before that at one of their charged up majlis, someone was lambasting ‘Ethiopia out of Oromia’ so many times that he ended up blubbering out loud ‘Ethiopia out of Ethiopia!!!’. That was hilarious.
So Al-Toweel may think he got what he has been looking for. And the Sebhat Nega’ in all may also take this as a grand opportunity to rehabilitate!!!
But in the midst of all this fracas, the death of the young soldiers on both sides leaves me with a heavy heart. Once again, the cream of the society in both countries is being made targets of killing machines. Once again, many mothers and fathers will be left with no one to look after them in their advanced age. The real expendables!!! Woe!!! Woe!!! Woe!!!!
Guys!!! If you understand very well, the who to be blamed is the Eritrean government. After the death of the late PM of Ethiopia, who was Meles; the current PM passed a message in so many madias that he would be interested in discussing with the Eritrean President, to solve the border problems; but the answer was negative. He didn’t want to raise the question at all. Means, NO TALKING UNLESS HIS WISHES ACCOMPLISHED!!! Even though, Mr President didn’t want a discussion at all; the taking should be procedurally would have been done. If two persons want to solve their problems; how do they work out in principle? By talking!!! Essayas didn’t want at all!!! And whose was supposed to be blamed? I will leave the judgment for you!!!