Ethiopia says Eritrea behind bomb blast in border town

April, 25, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — A bomb blast at a crowded Snack bar in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray on Saturday killed 5 people and injured 20 others.

Ethiopian officials have held the Eritrean government responsible for the attacks, which they said was aimed to disrupt country’s upcoming national elections.

The attacks in a border town of Adi-Daero occurred one day after two Eritrean rebel groups claim carrying-out a joint attack at military camps inside the red sea nation that killed at least 18 Eritrean intelligence agents.

Tigray regional president, Tsegay Berhe, told state owned news agency that the latest attacks are part of Asmara Government’s evil conspiracies aimed to disrupt country’s upcoming national election. Tsegay stressed that “such attacks by no means would disrupt the scheduled elections,” he convoyed messages of condolences.

Some 32 million Ethiopians will go to polls next month. Around 200 people died in post-election violence five years ago sparked by accusations that the ruling-EPRDF party had rigged the ballot.

Regional police investigator who is unauthorized to give statement, in a condition of anonymity confirmed Sudan tribune that arrests of some suspects being made but declined to give in numbers and also refused to comment if perpetrators were Eritrea government-hired Ethiopians or Eritrean citizens. He said investigation is well underway.

Reached by phone, a local journalist-Kidane Mariam, from the spot said that the bombs used in the attacks are unusual and very powerful.

“Such well-coordinated attack is sure an Eritrean government conspiracy,” he said echoing the official position.

Ethiopia and Eritrea remain in a no-war no-peace condition after the two neighbors in 1998-2000 went into a border war that killed an estimated 70,000 people.

Ethiopia has long hold Eritrea responsible for a number of bomb attacks in its soil, something Eritrea denies.

(ST)