Press Release, 8:00 a.m. LT

Over 6,000 Ethiopian Troops Put Out of Action in Two Days of Heavy Fighting

Fighting continued unabated for the fifth consecutive day yesterday on the central flank of the Mereb-Setit front.

Two thousand sixty Ethiopian soldiers were killed and 4,050 wounded in the battles of Sunday and yesterday, bringing the total number of Ethiopian troops put out of action in five days of intense fighting to over 18,000.

Ethiopia has also lost two MiG-23 jet fighters, one MI-35 helicopter gunship and five tanks destroyed in the previous days of fighting.

The Ethiopian regime has employed five divisions to date which were thrown into battle in turns. Ethiopian attempts to gain new ground have all been repulsed.

Fighting also resumed this morning.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 15 June 1999