WSLF RADIO BROADCAST

June 26, 1981

'Voice of Western Somali and Somali Abo Liberation

Fronts'' in Somali 0930 gmt 26 Jun 81

Three Dergue soldiers have given themselves up peacefully to the EPLF. . . They are: Tadese Shigut and Teferi Tekle Aregai,members of the 112th Brigade of the Dergue's 505 Task Force from Adi Keih; and Kefyalew Alegn, member of the 82nd Brigade of theDergue's Second Division from Adi Tekelezan. . . On surrendering one had a (?launcher), the second had a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgrenade, and the other was fully equipped. . . Two revealed that the Dergue soldiers stationed in Adi Keih were suffering from lack of food (''Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea'' in Amharic 1600 gmt 25 Jun 81) The Abyssinian soldier who surrendered to the WSLF forces [ME/6759/B/2] has told our reporter that the Mengistu regime forces regular members of the armed forces to the battle front against their wishes. The soldier said that for the troops forced to fight . . . it was like committing suicide because people fighting a holy war for their homeland could never be subdued. . . [He] said the Abyssinian forces go frightened to the battle fronts and full of uncertainty as to whether they would come back alive or not. . . The families of the soldiers killed in battle never received condolences or assistance from the Mengistu regime. Such callous acts by Mengistu have forced us to surrender to the liberation forces we are fighting, [the soldier said]. Abyssinia is under the complete control of the Russians, said the soldier; the Russians and their Cuban mercenaries and other Russian surrogates relaxed and enjoyed the holiday resorts of the country and the mercenary soldiers took away the women. . . The soldier said Ethiopia could not be regarded as a soverign state because all directives and orders for the day-to-day running of the country came from the Kremlin; it was the Kremlin that forced [the Ethiopian soldiers] to fight the liberation forces of WSLF, Abo and Eritrea.

Source: WSLF Radio