Ethiopian Air Force Did Not Bomb Bisha Mine: Senior Eritrean Officials - Latest Pictures of Bisha Mine

Aklilu Asmerom, an employee at the Bisha mine, took photos from the mine yesterday to visually show everything is business as usual, and to dispel wild rumors that the mine was bombed by the Ethiopian Air Force. (Photo Credit: Aklilu Asmerom)



Yesterday, Bronwyn Bruton, who just got back from a research trip to Eritrea where she had spoken with senior Eritrean officials, tweeted rumors of Ethiopian Air Force bombing Bisha mine are not true. She explained unnamed individuals/terrorists had planted bombs on the ground.

Contrary to media reports, #Ethiopian bombing of Eritrean Nevsun gold mine was not an airstrike. Bombs planted on the ground. #Eritrea
— Bronwyn Bruton (@BronwynBruton) March 24, 2015

In a press release issued on Sunday, Nevsun described the incident as an act of vandalism. It added that no personnel were harmed in the incident, and only minor damages were sustained to the base of the tailings thickener. Despite this, however, Nevsun said it was still on-track for re-start latter in the week.

While it is obvious that the Ethiopian Air Force did not bomb the Bisha plant, this has not stopped many Ethiopian and the so-called Eritrean opposition websites from trying to present this as a fact. Some have even produced poorly-made Photoshop images of the Bisha plant under smoke and inferno as proof. Despite their claim being bogus, these websites are still clinging to their story to damage the stock of Nevsun.

The big news that was missed in all the disinformation was Ethiopian rebels had destroyed TPLF military positions in Tigray last week. Unlike the false news about Eritrea, there is video evidence showing the Ethiopian Defense Forces running for their lives as rebels overran their positions, captured their troops and weapons, and burned down their camps.

According to ESAT, the Ethiopian Air Force is in shambles and much of its air force is grounded out of fear its pilots defecting to Eritrea. Over the last 12 months, dozens of Ethiopian Air Force pilots have defected to Eritrea, bringing with them many sophisticated multi-million dollar fighter jets and attack helicopters. Trust levels are so bad that Russian mercenaries have been hired to fly many of their fighter aircraft.

The rebels success in Ethiopia last week coupled with the numerous Ethiopian Air Force defections to Eritrea of late may be tied to the false rumor of Ethiopian Air Force bombing Bisha mine. By creating this elaborate story, the Ethiopian regime was probably seeking two results: 1) boost moral of its followers and pilots by showing its air force can still function; and 2), use this sensational rumor to deflect attention from the rebels successes of late in Northern Ethiopia.

Photo Credit: Aklilu Asmerom

Video: Ethiopian rebels overrunning TPLF forces in Northern Ethiopia last week.

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