New Ethiopian incursion into the Eastern part of Eritrea

Spokeswoman for the Ethiopian government Soloumi Tadisi said on Tuesday in a statement that her country's forces advanced 60 Km on the western front and controlled the Eritrea's area of Qouloj which it had evacuated just one week ago.

The spokeswoman added that the Ethiopian army continued its attacks towards Tesnai area, close to the borders with Sudan and on Tuesday seized "Strategic positions situated between Qouloj and Tesnai " adding this was a reply to "Eritrea's provocation." She remarked "heavy losses in the lines of the Eritrean forces."

This new development came in line with the return back of Ethiopia's foreign minister on Tuesday from Algeria. On Saturday he announced his country's initial consent on the new African peace proposals, but he indicated that the ultimate and final consent comes from the Ethiopian Parliament and the Cabinet after " holding necessary discussions to this effect."

In Eritrea, the spokesman for the Eritrean presidency Yamani Maskal said that a cautious calm prevailed most of the fronts on Tuesday except small confrontation took place in Um al-Hajar region, near the Sudanese- Ethiopian borders.