From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sat Mar 07 2009 - 16:40:20 EST
25 killed in Ethiopia as govt troops, Somali rebels fight
Mar 8, 2009 - 10:33:59 AM
JIGJIGA, Ethiopia Mar 8 (Garowe Online) - At least 25 people were killed and
scores wounded Saturday in some of the heaviest battles in Ethiopia in
recent months, Radio Garowe reports.
The fighting erupted Friday afternoon and continued until midday Saturday in
Mustahil district, in the Somali-inhabited region of eastern Ethiopia, local
sources said.
A group of Somali rebel factions formed an alliance and attacked Ethiopian
army garrisons in the region, including Ethiopian troops who redeployed from
Somalia in January.
Unconfirmed reports said armed trucks were burned on both sides, as the
fighting groups used heavy weapons to get the upper hand in the battle.
Somali rebel leaders said they killed many Ethiopian soldiers, while
Ethiopian army commanders claimed to have killed many rebels and continue to
hold control over the area.
At least 30 people were wounded in the fierce fighting, which reportedly
spread into towns along the Somali-Ethiopian boundary.
There were many civilians among the dead and wounded, but casualty figures
were difficult to confirm due to the limited information emerging from the
war zone.
Thousands of Ethiopian troops returned to their home country two months ago
after a two-year military occupation in Mogadishu that led to a bloody
uprising led by Somali Islamist guerrillas.
Ethnic Somalis in Ethiopia are fighting for self-determination against the
government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is widely seen as a tyrant by
Ethiopia's many ethnic groups.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----