Ethiopia: Regime forces dealt with serious blow, says Prof. Berhanu Nega

ESAT News (June 5, 2017)

A leader of an opposition group says Ethiopian regime forces have been dealt with a serious blow in a two-day fight in Gondar.

Speaking to supporters at a public meeting in Los Angeles on Sunday, Prof. Berhanu Nega, Chairman of the Patriotic Ginbot 7, a group fighting the Ethiopian regime, said it was one of the serious blows to the regime since the start of the armed struggle. He said the regime deployed thousands of its forces to crush freedom fighters led by his group, but instead sustained a major defeat in localities called Ajere and Janora in North Gondar as well as well as in Kemkem and Belesa in the south.

The PG7 leader described the recent fight as heavy with deadly consequences to regime forces.

In a desperate retaliation, regime security forces have rounded up over 200 civilian residents of the city of Gondar while deploying thousands of more troops in the area, according to Nega.

He said regime authorities have resorted to false claims that the attack by Patriotic Ginbot 7 forces was reinforced by Eritrean forces.

Prof. Berhanu Nega said no matter the size of its troops, the regime can not and will not stop the fight by the people of Ethiopia to reclaim their freedom.

Sources meanwhile said the regime has sent troops loaded in 20 trucks to the area following the defeat on Thursday. The sources said regime forces have used heavy machinery and even war planes in fight with the guerrilla forces.