Ethiopian drive stalls on border

Press, 3 July 1978, Page 8

Ethiopian drive stalls on border

Khartoum A three-prong drive by Ethiopian Government troops on secessionist forces in Eritrea province has been stalled on the border, according to spokesman in Khartoum for the guerrilla movements.

But they said fighting was continuing near the Mareb River, north of Aduwa in neighbouring Tigre Province, at Adi Daro in Central Tigre, and at Humera in the far west.

A spokesman for the Eritrean Liberation Front said nearly 1000 Ethiopian troops had been killed in two of the battles.

The guerrillas said they expected the next phase of the Ethiopian offensive would come when Government forces besieged in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, attempted to break out.

Three anti-Government movements — the E.L.F., the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front, and the Tigre People’s Liberation Front — have formed a joint command to meet the Ethiopian offensive.

A T.P.L.F. spokesman in Khartoum claimed to hav« evidence that Russian military advisers were directing the’ Ethiopian campaign, bui spokesmen for the two Eritrean fronts said they had no such information.

The battle in the west began two weeks ago whet Government forces from Humera crossed the Takazze River into Eritrea and attacked the town of Orr Hajer with 36 tanks, ar E.L.F. spokesman said. He said the Ethiopiam were forced to retreat t< Humera after losing 550 mer and five tanks.

Other usually reliable sources said the Ethiopian force was still in Otn Hajer, but was pinned down by E.L.F. guerrillas and was calling for reinforcements. The E.L.F. also said that 413 Ethiopian soldiers wer« killed and nine tanks, ar armoured car, and a helicopter were destroyed in < battle which began thre< days ago at die Marel River, which forms the border between Tigre ant Eritrea.