600 Eritrean fled to Ethiopia during January – official

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

January 30, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Over 600 Eritreans fled their country to Ethiopia during January 2008, Ethiopian authorities said today.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ethiopian administration for refugees and returnees affairs said some 600 Eritreans including 234 soldiers fled to Ethiopia risking their life, in protest to a continued oppression in their country.

Recently Eritrean troops have opened gun fire over 2 Eritrean soldiers who tried to escape to Ethiopia and shot dead one of them. Ethiopia has labelled it as a new border aggression on Ethiopian territory and military barracks”

The Eritreans refugees entered Ethiopia crossing to bordering regions of Tigray and Afar.
The above stated number doesn’t include unregistered Eritreans.

Currently some 25,000 Eritrean refugees are taking shelter at camps in Tigray and afar regional states of whom a third of them are believed to be Eritrean military members.

After 1998-2000 border conflict between the two arch foes claim at least 70,000 people, tension still remains tense between the two countries, with tens of thousands of soldiers glaring on either side of their disputed border, on the brink of a fresh conflict.

(ST)