Eritrean soldiers reportedly fleeing to Sudan

By Eritrean opposition radio

Jan 11, 2004 — The flight of sha’biyyah [Eritrean] soldiers is continuing. Incidents of defection by sha’biyyah soldiers to Sudan and Ethiopia are increasing by the day because of the slavery and inhumane treatment of soldiers by the dictatorial regime of [President] Isayas [Afewerki].

The Isayas commanders are killing soldiers fleeing to save their lives, by dispatching intelligence units with the right to kill. It has been revealed that four soldiers were killed, six crossed into Kassala [eastern Sudan] and three other disappeared when 13 soldiers were fleeing to Sudan on 25 December 2003. Two soldiers also fled to Sudan on 2 January 2004.

It has also been confirmed that a full platoon fled to Sudan on 3 January 2004.

BBC Monitoring Africa