Photo: Showing the conflict zone around Tsorona
13 June 2016 – Eritrean army has conducted a large-scale ground attack against the TPLF led Ethiopian army today at Tsorona front.
On Sunday, the TPLF army launched an unprovoked heavy artillery attack on Eritrean side from the same front.
Getachew Reda, Ethiopia’s Information Minister said this afternoon, “there are causalities from both sides and assessing the level of damage inflicted on us.” He added, “it wasn’t a skirmish fighting. It is a serious offensive from Eritrean side.” The Minister also confirmed that the TPLF army used ‘mechanized force’.
Finally, Reda said that TPLF ‘had to’ evacuate its citizens from their villages ahead of the offensive on Sunday.
Tonight, Eritrean government expected to make a full statement on the ongoing conflict.
The Eritrean Army constitutes the main component of the Eritrean Defence Force (EDF). Eritrea boasts one of the largest standing armies in Africa and is among the most militarized societies in the world.
The size of Eritrea’s population is small (3.7 million), particularly when compared to its neighboring Ethiopia, which has 103 million. During peace time, the military of Eritrea numbers approximately 45,000 with a reserve force of about 250,000. Since the ‘No Peace, No War’ period with its giant neighbour, Eritrea kept 203,000 military personnel composed of three branches: Air Force, Army, and Navy with 500,000 additional reserve force.
Source Eritrean Press