Somali-backed secessionist rebels said Tuesday they had killed almost 700 Ethiopian troops in fierce fighting near the key
town of Ginir and elsewhere in Ethiopia's arid plateau region of Ogaden.

A communique of the Western Somali Liberation Front - WSLF - said Ginir and Goba, about 200 miles southeast of the
Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, were the only towns left in Bale Provinces in the Ogaden.

The communique, broadcast from the Somalian capital of Mogadishu, said 360 Ethiopian troops were killed and 500 wounded
in fighting near Ginir. In other battles raging near the towns of Asasha, Ardo-tarre and Rira, another 330 Ethiopian troops were
killed, including officers, the communique said.

Large quantities of arms and ammunition were captured, it said.

The communique, the WSLF's first in almost a week, did not say how long the fighting lasted and did not mention rebel
casualties.

The Ethipians did not issue any new battle communiques, and the report could not otherwise be independently confirmed.

Despite the lack of information, it appears the insurgents have made significant gains in their drive to occupy the entire Ogaden,
which comprises one-fourth of Ethiopia's land area. The rebels, from tribes with strong ethnic ties to Somalia, say they want to
annex the region to a "greater Somalia" and claims they have already occupied more than 90 per cent of the Ogaden.

Recent communiques from Ethiopia's Marxist regime indicate that it forces have failed to contain the WSLF attacks or lift the
sieges on the few Ogaden towns held by the government.

The Ethiopian high command said in an communique Sunday it was preparing a counter-offensive to drive WSLF forces from
the area around the major towns of Dire Dawa and Harrar, about 220 miles east of the Ethiopian capital.

The Somalis have denied Ethiopian allegations that regular Somalian troops are involved in the fighting for the Ogaden, though
diplomatic sources say it isunlikely the WSLF could have made the gains it has without direct Somalian help.

Dipomatic sources here said the Soiviet Union is pouring in supplies to assist Ethiopia. The Ethiopians, who have been using
U.S. military equipment for years, are reported to be encountering difficulties operating the Russian-built tanks and artillery.

Somalia, long supplied by the Soviet Union, has been promised "defensive" arms from the United States and Britain to replace
some of its aging Soviet equipment.

The Associated Press (AP)
**********************************************************************