About 7,000 Ethiopian soldiers put out of action=20
One MI-35 Helicopter gunship shot down=20

Pitched fighting continued on the central flank of the Mereb- Setit front for the second day yesterday. Ethiopian losses on Thursday, June 10, amounted to over 2,300 soldiers killed, 4,200 wounded, and over 80 soldiers taken prisoner.

Three tanks were destroyed and one MI-35 Helicopter gunship shot down in yesterday's fighting. Full reports on human losses for yesterday were not yet available. Fighting also resumed this morning.

The Ethiopian regime had launched a diversionary attack on the Burie front last Wednesday as a prelude to its large-scale attack on the Mereb-Setit front on Thursday, 10 June 1999.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs=20
Asmara
12 June 1999