Peasant attack on rebels

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 8

Peasant attack on rebels

NZPA-Reuter Khartoum hiopian Government has town waves of peasant militiamen at Eritrean rebels fighting to hold the mountain town of Keren, the last of the Red Sea province's main towns under rebel control, a rebel spokesman has said in Khartoum. The Eritrean People’s Liberation Front official in the Sudanese capital said that 700 Government militiamen and troops lay dead on the field after four attempts to smash through rebel lines on Monday. "We are holding our positions,” the spokesman said. Diplomatic sources said the E.P.L.F. appeared to be making its first stand at Keren against the Government Army, which has Soviet supplies and so far has recaptured a score Of towns ;and villages in a month-long I counter-offensive. The rebels have admitted making several “tactical withdrawals." , The E.P.L.F. spokesman said he had no report of I Cubans being directly engaged in the campaign, j Diplomatic sources in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, said Cuban troops had taken over garrison duties tn f”ee Ethiopian units for front-line roles.