ETHIOPIA/ERITREA: ETHIOPIAN TOWN OF MEKELE BURIES BOMB VICTIMS/ U.S. EVACUATES MORE FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM ERITREA.

Record ID: 358473

  • Title: ETHIOPIA/ERITREA: ETHIOPIAN TOWN OF MEKELE BURIES BOMB VICTIMS/ U.S. EVACUATES MORE FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM ERITREA.
  • Date: 7th June 1998
  • Summary: MEKELE, EHIOPIA (JUNE 6, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: WIDE OF MEKELE 0.05 2. MV/CU: PEOPLE OUTSIDE MORGUE LOOKING AT PHOTOS OF INJURED RELATIVES (3 SHOTS) 0.25 3. GV/MCU: BODIES INSIDE MORGUE/ INCENSE BURNING (5 SHOTS) 0.49 4. GV/MV/CU: HOSPITAL, INJURED (5 SHOTS) 1.21 5. LV: VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS SEARCHING FOR SHOT DOWN ERITREAN
  • Embargoed: 22nd June 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MEKELE, ETHIOPIA/ ASMARA, ERITREA
  • City:
  • Country: AFRICA Eritrea ASIA MIDDLE EAST Jordan Ethiopia
  • Reuters ID: LVAD6VBOO1SFUIZYYAS0TQS51CSX
  • Story Text: Grieving relatives in the Ethiopian town of Mekele have buried victims of an Eritrean bombing raid in the latest round of hostilities between the two African neighbours.

    And, two United States airlifts were among the last to take around 200 foreigners out of Eritrea before the Ethiopian Air Force ended its temporary suspension of bombing raids on Asmara airport.

    Residents of the northern Ethiopian town of Mekele on Saturday (June 6) buried the victims of an Eritrean bombing raid which claimed the lives of nearly 50 people a day earlier.

    The shrouded bodies were wrapped tightly in woven bamboo and carried from the stench of the morgue on metal litters bearing a small cross at each end.

    Of the 47 that died in the dusk attack on a residential area near the centre of Mekele, eight were children and two were babies.

    Eritrea launched three raids on Mekele, including one on the airport, and another in the ancient town of Axum close to the border, local officials said.

    Victims in the Mekele morgue were being identified by locals as more bodies continued to mount up.

    Earlier on Saturday, Ethiopian forces shot down an Eritrean warplane in hills to the north of Mekele.

    Reuters correspondents saw the wreckage of the plane and watched as the Eritrean pilot - who had ejected from his cockpit -- was captured by militia in the valley below and taken by helicopter to the town.

    Following the attack on Mekele, the mood in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Saturday switched from a desire for negotiation with its neighbour to calls for swift revenge.

    "They should pay for it and there should be no mercy," one office worker said.

    Hundreds of foreigners were fleeing Eritrea by air on Saturday night after Ethiopia agreed to suspend air strikes in the worsening conflict between the Horn of Africa neighbours.

    Two American Airforce aircraft landed on Sunday early morning at Marka airport, Amman carrying 200 multi national Citizens.

    The evacuees, mostly American included the Norwegian Ambassador and his wife left Eritrea after the border dispute escalated dramatically on Friday.

    Ethiopian and Eritrean guerrillas fought side by side in the long struggle which eventually ousted military dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.

    Eritrea was rewarded with independence after a referendum in 1993, and the two countries enjoyed friendly relations until the sudden clash last month over a rocky 400 square km (155 sq mile) triangle of land which both countries claim.


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