http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gwHhOAYdcFQ53COTgcCLH5rfPVSQ?docId=CNG.803594f3e58a026a9e4a29eb6537b520.681
US urges restraint from Ethiopia, Eritrea
(AFP) – 5 hours ago
WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday urged both sides to show
restraint after Ethiopia attacked an Eritrean military base over the
killing of five European tourists on its territory.
"We have heard the government's reports that its forces struck military
posts inside Eritrea today," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland
told reporters.
"We are obviously calling on both sides to exercise restraint and to avoid
any further military action," she added.
"We are seeking further clarification from them as to their intentions,"
Nuland said when asked if the United States accepted Ethiopia's explanation
for launching military action.
The government in Addis Ababa said Ethiopian forces launched an attack 16
kilometers (10 miles) inside Eritrea but did not say what the casualties
were on either side.
In January, two Germans, two Austrians and one Hungarian were killed in an
attack on the slopes of Ethiopia's famed Erta Ale volcano in the remote
Afar region.
Ethiopia blamed arch foe Eritrea for the attack on the tourists, charges
that Eritrea denied.
The attack on the tourists had rekindled tensions between the two Horn of
Africa nations, raising fears of another war between the countries.
Eritrea broke away from Ethiopia and won independence in 1993 after a
30-year struggle. The two countries fought a devastating 1998-2000 border
war, which claimed at least 70,000 lives.
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Received on Thu Mar 15 2012 - 21:21:25 EDT
