Asmara decries lack of international condemnation

A statement, issued by the Eritrean Foreign Ministry on Friday, expressed its regret at the failure of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its partners to condemn what it called Ethiopia's aggression. "The failure of the OAU and its partners to publicly condemn Ethiopia's repeated acts of invasion on the Assab front and to take appropriate measures for rectification have no doubt encouraged Ethiopia to dwell on its aggression with impunity and have put the credibility of the arrangements in question," the statement said. Ethiopian forces had launched another large-scale offensive on the Assab front on Thursday evening, it said, following intensive shelling and attacks during the day. Fighting was continuing on Friday, with the Ethiopians suffering heavy losses, the Eritrean statement claimed.