Two Ethiopia Sponsored Armed Groups Got Terrorist Status

It’s now Eritrea’s turn to designate RASDO and the rest of the Ethiopia based armed groups as ‘Terrorists’

September 9, 2013 (GTD) – The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) has successfully listed the two notorious armed opposition groups that are created, financed and harbored by the Ethiopian government against Eritrea as Terrorist organizations.

The Eritrean Salvation Front (ESF) and Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RASDO) are now, according to GTD, terrorist organizations.

Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) also listed RASDO as a terrorist organization for its years of terrorist acts against civilian targets inside Eritrea.

According to Sudan Tribune, the semi-official news and propaganda site for all Ethiopia based Eritrea terrorist groups, RSADO and the Saho People’s Democratic Movement (SPDM) have agreed, last week in Ethiopia capital, to join forces to carry out military attacks against the Eritrean government.

Emboldened by the adoption of UN Security Council Sanction on the Eritrean government, the Ethiopian government began its destabilization agenda almost immediately by creating the various terrorist and armed opposition groups.

GTD, for instance, has recorded the following terrorist acts committed by RSADO and Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK), another groups that Ethiopia organize, finance, harbor for its destabilization agenda:

• 02/15/2010: On Monday, in Asmara, Maekel, Eritrea, rebels of the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) attacked the 28th Sub-division military camp. It was unknown if the attack caused any damage. Seventeen intelligence agents were killed and 20 others were injured in the attack. The 28th sub-division military camp in Asmara, Eritrea was targeted in this attack.
• 6/01/2008: On Sunday, a military vehicle ferrying food rations was blown up after Red Sea Afars Democratic Organization members attacked soldiers in Morad, Eritrea. No casualties were reported. A military truck carrying food rations was targeted.
• 06/01/2008: On Sunday, four Eritrean soldiers, including a senior commander, were killed and more than 10 others wounded when Red Sea Afars Democratic Organization members attacked them in Morad, Eritrea. Eritrean soldiers were targeted.
• 11/05/2007: The Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK) destroyed the office of the Shembeko town administration with an RPG in Western Eritrea. No casualties were reported.
• 11/05/2007: Militants using firearms from the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK) attacked government soldiers, killing or wounding fifteen of them in Mlzay, Eritrea.
• 02/25/2009: On Wednesday, in Haykota, Gash-Barka, Eritrea, a bomb killed two civilians and injured eight others at a restaurant in the semi-urban centre. The restaurant was damaged in the attack. No group claimed responsibility. A restaurant was targeted in Haykota, Gash-Barka, Eritrea.
• In 2003, British geologist Timothy Nutt was slain as he worked in Eritrea, by the Eritrean Islamic Jihad, one of the groups financed, harbored and supported by the regime in Ethiopia.
• Groups financed, harbored and supported by Ethiopia detonated a bomb in Barentu, Eritrea during the 2004 Independence Day celebrations killing 5 people and wounding 88.

A 30 July 2009 Press Release entitled “Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) and RSF (Eritrean Salvation Front) have joined forces to strike at the Eritrean Regime in Asmara” said the following:

“…In the past six months the afar rebel group have carried out more than five attacks, causing significant blow to Afwerki’s regime, last November it has destroyed a military radar system and attacked military camp killing 285 soldiers in a place called Sanafi at the heart of Akale Guzay, with co-ordinated and simultaneous commando type operation which killed 13 Eritrean soldiers. They have also collected 9 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 1 RPG weapon, 1 Heavy Machine Gun and 3 mobile phones. The combined forces have also captured five elite soldiers and brought them back in to Ethiopia…”

The armed group RASDO was created in 2009 by Ethiopia with the grand intention of secession from Eritrea so that Ethiopia will get its own Sea outlet.

In a press release issued on October 2010, the foolhardy RSADO said that it would ‘not compromise on its principles for self determination in Eritrea with anyone whether those opposed to regime in Asmara or Eritrean Regime itself.’

‘There will not be a unified Eritrea, unless the right for self-rule is constitutionally guaranteed for Red Sea Afar and rest of nationalities in Eritrea. The Red Sea Afar will reserve the rights for Self determination including secession’ said the press release.

Based on the boastful statements and news releases that it released between 1999 and 2010 alone, the group prides itself for killing more than 448 innocent Eritreans and wounding more than 501 mainly by planting road side bombs and executing a hit and run attacks against civilian and military targets.

–Tesfa News