Eritrean rebels allege killing, wounding 38 intelligence agents

April 23, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Two Eritrean rebel groups on Friday claim killing and wounding at least 38 Eritrean intelligence agents in a joint military operation they carried out at military camps inside the Red sea nation.

The rebel groups, Red ea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) and Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF) further said that the ‘massive attacks’ have entirely destroyed three camps belonging to intelligence units of the 27 sub-division of Eritrean forces.

“In a dawn raid we carried out early on Thursday, our combatant fighters have killed 18 intelligence agents and wounded more than 20 others” Afar rebels’ spokes person, Yasin Mohamed Abdela told Sudan Tribune.

The rebel claims can’t independently be verified at this point. Eritrean Rebels regularly claim such lower-scale attacks mainly targeting military bases but Eritrean officials repeatedly deny it.

The rebels said the attacks were carried out at a military bases located in the country’s southern zone of Tselim-Kalay and Hadish-Adi localities.

“We took control of the camps for hours and seized a number of weapons; important documents and military logistics,” he said adding “a big number of troops went into disarray after the surprise attacks”.

The two rebel groups are members of an opposition umbrella, the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA), a coalition of 11 Eritrean opposition groups which created an alliance, in May, 2008 in Addis Ababa.

The rebel official said that the opposition coalition will soon create a new and wider military front which he said will replace past trends of launching military attacks separately.

“Majority of the 11-member coalition member groups have agreed to create a joint military front which is expected to be signed soon,” Yasin Mohamed said.

According to the rebel official, the formation of the bigger military front among the groups will enable to step up a more coordinated and massive military attacks enabling them to depose the “oppressive and tyrannical” rule of President Issayas Afeworki
The groups called on all other Eritrean opposition forces, Eritreans and concerned groups to join hands together and come to the struggle to bring a democratic rule in the Eritrean nation.

(ST)