Ethiopian Forces in the Tsorona Area Battered

The large scale offensive that the Ethiopian regime launched along two axes yesterday has been foiled with the TPLF forces suffering heavy losses. The attack that the Ethiopian army launched on the Mereb-Setit front wilted early on as the regime's bruised forces did not have the stamina to venture out from their trenches having lost almost four brigades in the three days fighting along this front.

Pitched fighting continued until the late afternoon hours on the Tsorona flank of the Alitena-Mereb front. Here again, TPLF forces could not gain ground in spite of repeated waves of attacks. At the end of the fighting yesterday, the "elite" 20th and 24th divisions of the Ethiopian army were severely battered with more than 1,500 soldiers killed and around 3,000 wounded. Twenty soldiers were also captured.

In the meantime, independent journalists (VOA) have confirmed that Ethiopia had shelled the town of Adi Quala on Sunday evening killing eight civilians and wounding 23 others. Ten houses were demolished. Ethiopian claims that their target was a radar station were a pure fabrication. Similarly, Reuters' correspondent in the Mereb-Setit front has confirmed yesterday evening that "Geza Gerehelase" (a small post in the chain of Eritrean entrenched positions) remains firmly under Eritrean control.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 9 February 1999