Press Release
18 June 2001
Ref: CCPM/071/01

Eritrea Protests Ethiopian Army Attack

The government of the State of Eritrea today lodged a strong protest against an attack yesterday morning by the Ethiopian Army on the Eritrean Police Station at the 64th km. mark along the Assab-Burie road, well inside the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), as per its agreed location.

The strong protest was conveyed through a letter from Commissioner Andebrhan Woldegiorgis to Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ambassador Legwaila Joseph Legwaila. In his letter, Ambassador Andebrhan stated that Ethiopian troops penetrated the TSZ in the Eastern Sector and attacked the Eritrean police and militia units stationed at the 64th km. mark along the Assab-Burie road yesterday, 17 June 2001. According to the letter, Ethiopian troops moved from a position at elevation point 611 (grid reference 965042) towards the 64th km. location and, using light machine guns, attacked the police station at 05:30 hours from a range of 300-400 meters. They killed one member of the local militia before being driven back. The protest letter further stated that the attack has been verified by UNMEE's Eastern Sector Command and Military Liaison Office.

The government's protest stated that this new Ethiopian attack "occurred deep inside the TSZ and constitutes a grave violation of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, represents a dangerous escalation of Ethiopia's acts to turn the TSZ into a zone of 'permanent insecurity,' and poses a dire threat to the peace process." The letter condemned Ethiopia's provocative act of aggression and called on the "international community, as the guarantor of the agreement, to take appropriate measures to ensure that Ethiopia respects its commitment under the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities."

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