Eritrea calls for UN inquiry over Ethiopian attacks

Eritrea President Isaias Afeworki has urged the UN Security Council to launch an independent inquiry over recent Ethiopian military attacks against his country.

In his letter to the UN, President Afeworki accused the US of financing and providing intelligence support to the Ethiopian attackers.

Last month, Ethiopian authorities confirmed a missile strike and a ground military foray inside Eritrean territory.

The places attacked were Ramid, Gelahbe and Gimbi, some 16km inside south-eastern Eritrea.

Addis Ababa said the attack targeted "military posts that have been used to organise, finance and train terrorist groups".

The attack, apparently, was against a rebel group which was involved in a previous abduction and killing of five Western tourists.

Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front (ARDUF) had claimed a responsibility for the abduction of the tourists, but blamed Addis Ababa for their deaths during an exchange of fire as Ethiopian troops launched a rescue mission.

Two Germans, two Austrians and one Hungarian were killed in the January attack on the slopes of Ethiopia's famed Erta Ale volcano, in the desolate Afar border region.

Ethiopia insisted Eritrea was behind the abductions, a charge Asmara denied.

The two countries remain bitter foes since they fought a bloody war in 1998-2000 in which more than 80,000 people died.

While condemning Ethiopia's latest incursion, Eritrea said it had no plans to retaliate.

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