ADDIS ABABA, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Ethiopia Woyanne said on Wednesday security forces had stopped soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea abducting 28 French tourists in its remote northern Afar region.
“An attempt by Eritrean forces to abduct 28 French tourists in the Afar region has been foiled by Ethiopian security forces,” a police statement read on state TV said.
An Ethiopian official was hurt by gunfire, but the French tourists were fine and taken to a local tourist facility, it said. “They are in a safe condition,” the statement said.
Eritrean officials were unavailable for comment on Wednesday’s accusation, but routinely deny crossing into Ethiopia or backing local rebels there.
Last year, rebels in the remote region kidnapped five Europeans and eight Ethiopians on an exploration trip. They released the Europeans two weeks later, and the Ethiopians after two months.
Ethiopia Woyanne also blamed its arch-foe Eritrea, with whom it fought a 1998-200 border war, for masterminding that abduction and backing the local Afar Liberation Front. (Reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Elizabeth Piper)
FORUM | 6 Comments
what a lie? Woyane tried to kinapped them and pointing her finger to others. not surprised at all.
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February 20th, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Who is this Tsegaye Tadesse? There are a lot of real news to write but he spends mostly repeating what Bereket Simon tells him to do.
He did very bad job during the 2005 election by just repeating Woyanne words and he seems to do the same again. He is silent on the Woyanne crimes in Somalia, Ogadien and Oromia, he was also no where to be seen during the Gambella genocide.
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February 20th, 2008 at 4:50 PM
To put it mildly, Tsegaye Tadesse is a weyane sympathizer hired as a “journalist” by Reuters. i have yet to read any worth journalism from this scum of earth except repeat whatever the Adwa boys phatological liers advertize. Some journalist.
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February 20th, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Tsegaye Tadesse is quite a character! With this dude who needs Bereket Simon? Afer Bila!
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February 21st, 2008 at 1:26 AM
I am tired of TPLF Ethno-Dictator-Minority-Military-Junta. Unless one belongs to the Tigray ethnic s/he is not allowed to hold welth or power or perhaps get government employment. Now they blame others for the jons they do. They steal and blame others.
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February 21st, 2008 at 1:51 AM
Weyane-everday blaming Eritrea for his failures.
please look into your own internal problems and find solutions.
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February 21st, 2008 at 5:29 AM