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DATE=2/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245255
TITLE=ERITREA / ETHIOPIA (L)
BYLINE=DIANNA CAHN
DATELINE=ASMARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  FIGHTING BETWEEN ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA IS IN ITS THIRD DAY
WITH HEAVY EXCHANGES ALONG THEIR BORDER.  DIANNA CAHN IN 
ERITREA'S CAPITAL, ASMARA, REPORTS ETHIIOPIA ADMITTED THE USE OF 
FIGHTER PLANES IN ITS LATEST ATTACKS VIOLATED A MORATORIUM ON AIR
STRIKES IMPOSED IN JUNE. 
TEXT:  AUTHORITIES IN ERITREA SAY ETHIOPIA KILLED EIGHT CIVILIANS
AND SEVERELY WOUNDED NINE OTHERS  (LATE SUNDAY)  WHEN IT SHELLED 
THE ERITREAN BORDER TOWN OF ADI QUALA, 80 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF 
ASMARA.
ETHIOPIA'S GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN, SELOME TADDESSE, SAYS ETHIOPIA
SHELLED ADI QUALA IN AN EFFORT TO TAKE OUT A GOVERNMENT RADAR 
INSTALLATION, AND WAS  NOT  TARGETING CIVILIANS.
AN ERITREAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, MOGES NAIZGY, SAYS 
ETHIOPIA ALSO HAS SHELLED THE BORDER TOWN OF ALITENA, 80 
KILOMETERS EAST OF ADI QUALA.  
IN HIS WORDS, IT IS VERY INTENSE AND GETTING WORSE, WITH FIGHTING
CONTINUING IN THOSE TWO LOCATIONS, AS WELL AS ON THE 
BADME-SHERARO FRONT WHERE HOSTILITIES ERUPTED SATURDAY AND AGAIN 
ON SUNDAY.
ERITREA SAYS ITS FORCES KILLED 250 ETHIOPIAN TROOPS AND TOOK 
ANOTHER 18 PRISONERS IN SUNDAY'S BATTLES. 
BOTH SIDES ARE TRADING ACCUSATIONS OVER WHO RESTARTED THE 
FIGHTING AFTER RELATIVE CALM SINCE BATTLES OVER BORDER REGIONS 
FIRST ERUPTED LAST MAY AND JUNE, KILLING AT LEAST ONE-THOUSAND 
PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNMENT HERE SAYS ETHIOPIA STRUCK FIRST SATURDAY AND 
SUFFERED HEAVY LOSSES BECAUSE ERITREA'S SOLDIERS REMAINED 
ENTRENCHED IN THEIR DEFENSIVE POSITIONS, WHILE THE ETHIOPIAN 
TROOPS EXPOSED THEMSELVES WHEN THEY LAUNCHED THEIR OFFENSIVE.
ETHIOPIA ACCUSES ERITREA OF TWICE SHELLING THE NORTHERN ETHIOPIAN
TOWN OF ADIGRAT DURING THE WEEKEND, A CHARGE ERITREA DENIES.  
ETHIOPIA BLAMES ERITREA FOR INSTIGATING THE FIGHTING AND CLAIMS 
ERITREAN TROOPS TOOK HEAVY CASUALTIES SATURDAY WHEN EIGHT MONTHS 
OF RELATIVE CALM EXPLODED IN BATTLE.
SINCE JUNE, BOTH SIDES MASSED TROOPS ALONG THE COMMON BORDER, AND
THE AIR FORCES OF BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE SPENT THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS
BUILDING UP THEIR FLEETS WITH MORE SOPHISTICATED FIGHTER PLANES. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/DC/JWH
08-Feb-99 8:00 AM EST (1300 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.