Eritrea celebrates its 7th independence anniversary
Eritrea-Ethiopia, Politics, 5/23/2000

Eritrea on Monday celebrated, silently, its 7th independence anniversary, amid fierce battles waged by its forces with its neighbor Ethiopia.

Observers say that most of the Eritreans are concerned over the conditions of their children and relatives on the fighting fronts.

A western diplomat in Asmara said that the celebration wanted to show off the defiance and was more than a celebration commemorating independence, adding the Eritreans do not have much to celebrate for.

Eritrea had maintained independence from Ethiopia in May 1993.

Meantime, Ethiopia whose forces are advancing into the Eritrean territories, denied to have any ambitions on Eritrean territories.

Concerning military operation, the spokesman for the Eritrean presidency Yamani Gebrimiskl said on Monday that fighting took place on Sunday on Buri on the eastern front from which the road leading to the Eritrean port of Asab passes.

He added that Eritrean forces killed 200 Ethiopian soldiers and destroyed one of its talks.

Since the resumption of battles on a large scale between Ethiopia and Eritrea on May 12, the two governments only indicated exchange of artillery bombardment on the Eastern front although Ethiopia said that its forces seized during its military campaign part of south-west Eritrea and that it is advancing towards the south to the central front.

Meantime, humanitarian relief organizations say that almost one million Eritrean were forces to flee from their villages as a result of the fighting.

Previous Stories:
  Ethiopia will not annex Eritrea's territories   (5/20/2000)
  Violent fighting continues between Eritrea, Ethiopia   (5/19/2000)
  Fierce confrontation between Ethiopia and Eritrea   (5/18/2000)

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