DATE=2/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245520
TITLE=ERITREA/BOMBING (S&L)
BYLINE=DIANNA CAHN
DATELINE=ASMARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ERITREA SAYS ITS ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS HAVE SHOT DOWN AN
ETHIOPIAN HELICOPTER GUNSHIP ON THE EASTERN FRONT OF THEIR
RENEWED BORDER WAR. DIANNA CAHN REPORTS FROM ASMARA, ERITREA
SAYS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN FOLLOWING A BOMBARDMENT BY AN
ETHIOPIAN JET FIGHTER AROUND THE KEY PORT TOWN OF ASSAB.
TEXT: ERITREAN AUTHORITIES SAY AIR DEFENSE UNITS SHOT DOWN THE
ETHIOPIAN MI-24 HELICOPTER GUNSHIP AT BURE, SOUTH OF ASSAB. A
FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT SAYS ALL THE CREW MEMBERS WERE KILLED
WHEN THE HELICOPTER CRASHED ON THE ETHIOPIAN SIDE OF THE FRONT
LINE.
THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE SHOOTING CAME JUST TWO-AND-ONE-HALF HOURS
AFTER AN ETHIOPIAN ANTONOV JET BOMBED SPARSELY-POPULATED AREAS ON
THE OUTSKIRTS OF ASSAB.
// OPT // RESIDENTS OF ASMARA GREETED THE NEWS COMING ACROSS
ERITREAN RADIO WITH CHEERS AND SONGS OF VICTORY. ONE MAN SAID
ERITREA IS SURE TO WIN THE WAR WHICH RE-ERUPTED EIGHT-DAYS AGO,
AFTER AN EIGHT-MONTH LULL IN FIGHTING. HE SAID ERITREA IS, IN
HIS WORDS, "A SMALL PEOPLE, BUT VERY STRONG."
IN DOWNTOWN ASMARA, POLICE QUICKLY CLEARED THE REVELERS,
APPARENTLY NERVOUS THAT LARGE CROWDS IN THE CAPITAL COULD DRAW
AIR ATTACKS. // END OPT //
THE ERITREAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED THE NEWEST VIOLATION OF THE AIR
STRIKE MORATORIUM THAT BOTH COUNTRIES AGREED TO IN JUNE, AFTER
MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE EARLY DAYS OF
THE WAR OVER CONTESTED BORDER AREAS.
// REST OPT // BUT SINCE FEBRUARY SIXTH, RENEWED FIGHTING HAS
INCLUDED SEVERAL AIR ATTACKS BY ETHIOPIA ALONG THE BORDER.
ERITREA SAYS 16 CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 20 WOUNDED BY
ETHIOPIAN AIRCRAFT SINCE LAST SATURDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DC/DW/RAE
14-Feb-99 9:28 AM EST (1428 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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