Muted independence celebrations in Asmara

Celebrations to mark the ninth anniversary of Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia were held in Asmara on Sunday, with buildings decked with banners and bunting, and singers and dancers perfuming in the streets, even as Ethiopian forces consolidated their grip on the west of the country. Reporters said the celebrations were somewhat muted, with many Asmara residents worried about the fighting and the fate of relatives serving in the army. But reports also spoke of a mood of defiance and determination. Crowds cheered truckloads of troops heading for the front and threw them parcels of food, the BBC reported. University students were also reported to have turned out in their thousands at the national stadium in Asmara on Saturday to volunteer for national service. A journalist told IRIN that the stadium was filled with students receiving military uniforms.