The officer told ENA that Sheabia opened gunfire on its soldiers who came out of their trench early on January 22, 2008 and tried to submit to the Ethiopian defense force.

Among the soldiers against whom gun fire was opened after they entered in to the Ethiopian territory, Filimon Teklemichael was wounded and died while the other soldier, Romedan Oumer Mohammed managed to enter in to Ethiopia alive, the officer said.

The Ethiopian defense force had made maximum efforts, along with members of the UNMEE to save the life of Filimon who was wounded by the gunfire opened on him after he arrived to the Ethiopian territory.

Besides opening gunfire on the Eritrean soldiers, the Sheabian government had aimed at the trenches of the Ethiopian defence force.

The Ethiopian defense force has notified the UNMEE about such a provocative act of the Sheabian government, while the UNMEE physically appeared and confirmed what the Sheabian government had done.

Despite the Sheabian government has continued its provocative actions, the Ethiopian defense force has reaffirmed to the UNMEE that it has stick to Ethiopian government's firm position of resolving problems peacefully.

The Ethiopian defense force is showing maximum patience against the repeated provocative actions of the Sheabian government, the Officer said and called on the Sheabian government to refrain from its ill deeds.

Among the Sheabian government soldiers who escaped and entered to Ethiopia, Romedan Oumer Mohammed said that there is no trust among the Sheabian defence force as contradictions have been occurred between the Sheabian army and higher military officers.

As they are not allowed by the officers to come out of their trench and meet their families, the soldiers are facing severe frustration, he said.

Due to the oppression Sheabia is making, the soldiers spend the whole day in thinking about their family and finding ways thorough which they can escape from the system.

Eritrean farmers had been snatched their produce on the pretext of feeding the army, he said and added that the Eritrean people are exposed to severe food shortage as the farmer is obliged to provide its produce to the Sheabian government for free.

R--6:23-7:08 Pm

E—7:09-7:17

---END---