UN denies report on Eritrean attack on Ethiopian border village

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 31, 2004 (Ethiomedia) — The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), on 30 December, denied an Ethiomedia report which said Eritrean troops killed and wounded several Ethiopian inhabitants of Hadish Adi near the Badme — flashpoint of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea — area on 23 December.

“On 24 December 04, Team Site Badme patrol investigated the contents of Ethiomedia press report datelined 23 December 04 on alleged killings in Hadish Adi and the mobilization of both Ethiopian and Eritrean armed forces on 20 December 04. The patrol confirmed that no such incident ever took place. Furthermore, Ethiopian army and local administration authorities confirmed that they are not aware of such incidents,” the press statement said.

Ethiomedia’s report was not verified by other independent news source, where the alleged Eritrean attack was launched in the absence of Ethiopian troops in the area which Eritrea claims is under its sovereignty according to the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission ruling of 13 April 2003.

However, further reports indicate the rise of tension marked by Ethiopian army reinforcements. Eye-witnesses in the town of Shire Inda Silase, in northern Ethiopia, bordering Eritrea, said an unusual military build-up was seen in the last couple of weeks, including tanks and other armoured vehicles passing through the town on the way to the Badme area.

Material fronm the BBC Monitoring Service.