Cablegate: Reports of Attacks in Eritrea

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cc:
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
CIA WASHDC
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
SECDEF WASHDC
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
COMUSNAVCENT
DIA WASHINGTON DC

Distribution:

TED4534
ACTION DS-00

INFO LOG-00 MFA-00 AF-00 AID-00 INL-00 DHSE-00 UTED-00
VCI-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 MOFM-00 MOF-00 VCIE-00 NSAE-00
OIG-00 NIMA-00 DOHS-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 ASDS-00
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(TEDE) /000W

------------------C846A6 201632Z /38
R 201339Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0551
INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
CIA WASHDC
CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
COMUSNAVCENT
DIA WASHINGTON DC
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS ASMARA 000364

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/IP/SPC/SO, AND AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL ER

SUBJECT: REPORTS OF ATTACKS IN ERITREA

REF: ASMARA 350

1. (SBU) An Eritrean Democratic Alliance website claimed
that two Eritrean males were wounded when unknown assailants
launched an RPG rocket at their pickup truck on the Aderde
highway halfway between Keren and Agordat. Eritrean military
and security forces searched the area and according to the
report arrested "scores of people." The website did not say
which group initiated the attack. Two weeks ago, three
locally hired employees of the Chalice Gold Mine Ltd. were
gunned down in a vehicle approximately 25 miles north of
Keren (Reftel).

2. (SBU) The website www.democrasia.org claimed that
fighters of the Eritrean People's Democratic Front (EPDF)
repelled an ambush from Eritrean soldiers approximately 30
miles SE of Mendefeira near the village of Tsorena. EPDF
claimed it killed two Eritrean soldiers and wounded two
others in the skirmish. The EPDF is affiliated with the
Eritrean Democratic Alliance.

3. (SBU) Post Comments: Post has not been able to verify
these reports. There has been no mention of these attacks in
the Eritrean press.

McMULLEN

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