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Addis Ababa - Ethiopia on Tuesday
claimed it had killed more than 110 rebels - sent by arch-foe
Horn of Africa neighbour, Eritrea - to destabilise the country
since the beginning of the month.
The defence ministry said that Ethiopian security forces had
killed 111, wounded 18 and captured 107 "anti-peace forces"
operating on Asmara's behalf in northern Ethiopia since early
June.
Dawit Assefa of the defence ministry said: "They had dispatched
themselves in the area to disturb peace and stability", adding
that the rebels had been found around Gonder, about 100km from
the Eritran border.
He said: "The anti-peace forces came from Eritrea. They were
under orders from Asmara, crossed the border and came into the
North Gonder area.
Ethiopia, Eritrea fought a bloody war
Assefa said: "They were armed with machine guns and they planned
to attack the Ethiopian defence forces, but the army knew they
were around and was able to stop them.
"They are rebels who have the objective to fulfil the mission of
the Eritreans, which is to try to disturb peace in Ethiopia."
Assefa was unable to specify the nationality of those killed,
wounded or captured.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a bloody two-year war over their
common border between 1998 and 2000 and a peace deal that ended
the conflict had yet to be fully implemented.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had blamed Eritrea for
providing explosive material for a series of mystery blasts that
had rocked Addis Ababa and provincial towns since the beginning
of the year, killing at least 11 people and wounding dozens.
Eritrea had angrily denied those claims.
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