Eritrea attacks on new front: Ethiopian claim<\/p>\n
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters): Ethiopia said yesterday that Eritrea
\nhad launched a new attack at the eastern end of their border,
\nclose to the Red Sea port of Assab.<\/p>\n
Ethiopian government spokeswoman Selome Taddesse told Reuters
\nthat Eritrean forces had attacked Ethiopian positions early
\nyesterday, but that further details were not immediately
\navailable.<\/p>\n
There was no confirmation of the Assab fighting from Eritrea,
\nbut if correct it marks a significant development in the border
\nconflict that erupted on May 6.<\/p>\n
Until hostilities began, Assab, one of Eritrea's two main
\nports, was heavily used by Ethiopia to import and export
\nsupplies.<\/p>\n
The border is around 70 kilometers from the Red Sea and has
\nbeen landlocked Ethiopia's closest point to the sea since Eritrea
\nachieved independence in 1993.<\/p>\n
Assab has an oil refinery and fuel storage depot but diplomats
\nsaid the refinery was closed several months ago.<\/p>\n
Taddesse said that fighting continued yesterday around Badme
\nand Sheraro on the western border between the two Horn of Africa
\nneighbors.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday Ethiopia said it had inflicted heavy losses on
\nattacking Eritrean forces in the area, which lies at the heart of
\nthe conflict. Eritrea also reported fighting.<\/p>\n
\"A large segment of Eritrean troops which launched an attack
\non Ethiopia's position at Badame front has been destroyed,\"
\nTadesse said.<\/p>\n
Known as Badme or Badame, the area is a rocky 400-square-
\nkilometer triangle of land claimed by both sides along the
\nwestern border. Some areas on the Assab front are also in
\ndispute.<\/p>\n
Neither side has announced exact casualty figures from the
\nfive-week-old fighting.<\/p>\n
The first clash was on May 6 but the risk of full-blown
\nconflict soared with two days of air strikes on June 5 and 6 and
\nland battles this week.<\/p>\n
There was heavy fighting on Tuesday around Zalambessa on the
\nmain road between the two country's capitals. Addis Ababa is 550
\nkilometers to the south and the Eritrean capital Asmara is 100
\nkilometers to the north.<\/p>\n
Diplomatic efforts to solve the conflict have so fair failed.
\nEritrean President Isayas Afewerki asked Egypt on Wednesday to
\nhelp mediate in the conflict in a letter handed by emissaries to
\nPresident Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.<\/p>\n
Ethiopia said, however, it was unaware of Eritrea's request
\nfor Egyptian mediation.<\/p>\n
\"We welcome any friends who are trying to solve this. But
\nEthiopia's position is that a proliferation of mediators is not
\ngoing to work,\" she said, adding that Ethiopia believed a U.S.-
\nRwanda peace plan remained the basis for mediation.<\/p>\n
Among its recommendations, that plan called for the withdrawal
\nof Eritrean forces to their pre-May 6 positions, implying they
\nwere first to take the offensive.<\/p>\n
The Organization of African Unity (OAU), ending an annual
\nsummit meeting in Burkina Faso on Wednesday, agreed in principle
\nto send a special peace mission to both nations. The summit also
\nendorsed the U.S.-Rwanda recommendations which Ethiopia, before
\nthe war escalated last week, said it accepted in principle.<\/p>\n
Diplomats said it remained to be seen whether Ethiopia would
\nwelcome strong Egyptian involvement in any mediation. The two
\ncountries have differences over Somalia policy and the use of
\nwaters from the River Nile.<\/p>",
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