The remaining commercial airlines flying to Asmara have suspended service as a precaution. The Ethiopian army chief of staff gave a briefing explaining the campaigns of the previous two weeks.

Yesterday fighting was reported on several fronts and two Ethiopian airforce jets bombed locations at Hirgigo (near) Massawa. Eritrea claimed that a power plant nearing completion received a direct hit.

On Saturday (May 27), both sides reported continued fighting near Senafe as well as artillery exchanges near Bure. The new frontline follows a mountain ridge north of Senafe down into the Mereb river valley north of Tserona and continues to Adi Qwala. Reports from Eritrea indicate that thousands of civilians are fleeing southern Eritrea ahead of the fighting.

Rebuilding Zalambessa: "Up and down the main street, the fronts of all the buildings have been destroyed. The supporting pillars of some shops have been pulled down so the roof sits flat on the floor. Other storefronts have simply been bulldozed.From the Mereb Hotel to the pharmacy next door, from the Welcome Bar to the automobile spare parts shop down the street, there is not a table, or a chair, or a light fixture left in Zalambessa."

"Many of the people who used to live in Zalambessa spent the past two-years living in caves near the town of Adigrat, 30-kilometers farther inside Ethiopia.

Amete Ghebre lives with her six children in a canvas tent under a narrow cliff. She says it was a shock for everyone in Zalembessa to lose everything they spent their lives building, then come here and live in caves like animals.

Ms. Ghebre says there was a party in the caves when they heard on the radio that Ethiopia had retaken Zalembessa. Now that she has seen the destruction that is left, Ms. Ghebre says she is devastated." -- VOA, May 29.