Last Sunday, Ethiopian and Eritrean troops had one of the biggest clashes since the end of the 1998-2000 war.

The Eritrean government issued its first statement regarding the clash on Sunday minutes before mid-night.

Since then, Asmara has been issuing statements every other day and two statements on Friday.

Interestingly, in its latest statement, Eritrea blamed United States for “instigating” the clash.

Read the five statements below.

It appears more statements are forthcoming. We will keep an eye.

Press Release

TPLF Regime launches an attack

The TPLF regime has today, Sunday 12 June 2016, unleashed an attack against Eritrea on the Tsorona Central Front. The purpose and ramifications of this attack are not clear. The Government of Eritrea will issue further statements on the unfolding situation.

Ministry of Information

Asmara

12 June 2016

Press Release

Update on TPLF attack against Eritrea

The attack launched by the TPLF regime on the Tsorona Central Front on Sunday, 12 June 2016, has been repulsed with TPLF troops sustaining heavy causalities.

The Government of Eritrea will issue detailed statement on the purpose, scope and implications of the latest act of military aggression by the TPLF regime. It is nonetheless clear that mounting opposition from popular movements of the Ethiopian people, endemic corruption and associated economic crisis, as well as the desire to stem promising progress in Eritrea are indeed some of the factors prompting the TPLF regime to indulge in reckless military adventures.

Ministry of Information

14 June 2016

Press Release

The Sunday attack of June 12, 2016, launched through the TPLF regime on the Tsorona Front was quashed on Monday (13 June) morning entailing heavy losses to its troops.

TPLF troops were compelled to retreat to locations beyond from where they initially unleashed the attack.

In this reckless attack whose ultimate aim is difficult to comprehend, more than 200 TPLF troops have been killed and more than 300 wounded. These are conservative estimates.

Why did this callous bloodshed happen? And, for what purpose?

Those who have instigated this reckless act have attempted to provide the TPLF with political, media and diplomatic smoke-screen, both before and after the attack. They have also deceitfully tried to apportion equal blame to the aggressor and the victim. The Government of Eritrea will address these dimensions of the attack in subsequent statements.

Ministry of Information

Asmara

16 June 2016

Press Release

Eritrea is aware of Washington’s instigation not only of the attack against Eritrea that the TPLF launched last Sunday, June 12, 2016 but also in its deployment of weapons along the border for a much expanded offensive. Eritrea will disclose these facts in due time.

In the event, shedding crocodile tears and issuing a bland statement by the spokesperson of the US State Department calling on “both sides to show restraint” cannot impress anyone.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Asmara

17 June 2016

Press Release

Eritrea is appalled by the statement of UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban-ki Moon, on the TPLF attack against Eritrea on the Tsorona Front. The facts of the matter are fully known to the Secretary General. In the circumstances, we find the statement that apportions equal blame to the victim and the aggressor and calls on “both sides to show restraint” untenable.

This unfortunate statement can only corrode further the moral authority of the Secretary General’s Office.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Asmara

17 June 2016

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Stay tuned for more on Ethio-Eritrea clash June 2016 

Read the latest post: Ethiopia-Eritrea clash: What we know and what we think we know

Daniel Berhane

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