ADDIS ABABA, 14 November 2009 — Ethnic-Somali rebels in the south-east of Ethiopia say they have launched an offensive against government forces and captured several towns.
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) said it began attacking on several fronts on Tuesday.
The separatists said a “significant number” of Ethiopian troops had been killed and their equipment captured.
The reports could not be verified and Ethiopia has in the past dismissed rebel accounts of military gains.
“The operation involved thousands of ONLF troops and resulted in two days of heavy fighting,” an ONLF statement said.
The group added that its forces had been “warmly welcomed” in the towns it claimed to have captured - Obolka, Hamaro, Higlaaley, Yucub, Galadiid, Boodhaano and Gunogabo.
The ONLF, formed in 1984, is fighting for the independence of ethnic Somalis in the oil-rich Ogaden region.
It says the Somali-speaking population has been marginalised by Addis Ababa.
Fighting has escalated over the past two years following an ONLF attack on a Chinese-run oil exploration field.
More than 70 people died in the attack, including Ethiopian guards and Chinese workers.
Addis Ababa calls the rebels “terrorists” and has cut off all access to the region.
However, watchdogs have accused the Ethiopian government of human rights violations.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:40 am
May be Propoganda. If it is true I will join them
November 14th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Here it is another fabricated lie as usual, even if this ONLF attack is true, It is the work of Shabia , We all know from experience ONLF is not capable of launching such offensive and the previous massacre of chinese and ethiopian oil workers.
By the way why is Prime Minister Melesse Zenawi’s regime is entertaining Eritrean dictator. This is the unsolved mistery and question raised by millions of ethiopians especially the people of Tigray and TPLF and EPRDF members.
Is there someone out there can answer this question.
bye for now
November 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
what a great news! Let us burn woyane in the other side of the country. eneberta gobez.
Ethiopia shall be free from the parasites
November 14th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Wether it is true or more of propaganda,one thing is undeniable. That is there will never be peace and stability as long as the nation stays under a ruling circle/government determined to stay in power by terrorising the people. Do we really beleilve that the TPLF/EPRDF government is seriously interesed in defending the very survival of the nation??
November 14th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Where are so called OLF ’s ???? 42 years in armed struggle, the leaders are still capital Hill running out of new ideas how to bring the Oromo together.
It’s time to admit OLF is a failed organisation who failed to liberate a piece of Oromo land.
Beside hungging the green yellow flag in their western villa’s, the oromo needs to realise their struggle needs to convince the heart and minds of other Ethiopians to stop the dictator out of their fertile land.
The oromo’s weak up and join the struggle of fellow Ethiopians.
Unite we will win!
November 14th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I am so glad. i will go to the bar and party.
I am so glad. i will go to the bar and party.
ONLF get those weyane TPLF
November 14th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I am ashamed of OLF. They have all the resouces and the support. They are not showing any movement. Let’s the Woaynes out of Oromia.
They feed the stony Tigri by selling our fertile land and coffee.
Oromo! Organize, contribute money and hel fighters. Somalis are much smaller than us. But they are doing effective work!
OLF leaders do not sleep while Oromia is robbed.
November 15th, 2009 at 1:49 am
If Meles is srious about crashing secessionist forces, we will join hands with the ethiopian government to annihilate OLF, ONLF and eritrean forces. Meles and co but have been supporting secessionist forces in the past and have illegally promoted the secession of Eritre from Ethiopia.
Any way, ONLF should be annihilated regardless of the fact who in power. We are tired of secessionist forces like ONLF, OLF who are stooges of foreign countries like Egypt, Libya and others. We have to stand a united Ethiopia and ONLF should be disarmed. I am a volunteer to go to fight against ONLF, OLF etc.
United we are strong!
One Nation, One Love
November 15th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Wow! ONLF has captured villages:Obolka, Hamaro, Higlaaley, Yucub, Galadiid, Boodhaano and Gunogabo. For those who are not familiar with Ogaden, this statement is like saying someone captured the towns of Gulelle, Neftegna Sefer, Merkato, Addis Ketema, Teklehaimant and Senga Tera. The problem here is most of the so called captured towns/villages have very sparse or no population at all. These are towns that are likeley to be captured by a single Somali nomad on a camel w/o firing a single shot. I know you folks at ER & EMF are pushing the EPPF/G7 JuJu, but reports like these are not gonna cut it. Please report back when ONLF captures towns like Kebridehar, Jigjiga, Deqehabour, Mustahil, Shilabo,Warder, Gode etc.
Don’t get me worng here; I’m all for the destruction and emolation of TPLF and its traitorous regime from Ethiopia. But we all need to be mature enough to understand that this ain’t gonna happen through fabricated military confronatations and make believe victories. Let’s all grow up, ESHI?
Note to editors: I know you guys are editing out/deleting comments that you deem are contrary to your exalted points of view. Are you aware that you can’t build a democratic forum based on fickle premises such as yours?
Respectfully,
-Surafel
November 15th, 2009 at 5:50 am
በውነቱ በዚህ አልደሰትም:: ገና ለገና የመንግስት ጠላት በሚል ሆሆታ ተገቢ አይመስለኝም::ደርግን ጠላን ብለን እነዚህን ጅቦች ደገፍን. ይሕው የሆነው ታየ::የ onlfን ምንንት ማወቅ ተገቢ ይምስለኛል ጨርሶውኑ አኢትዮጵያን የሚያጠፉ ናቸው;; ጎበዝ ጠንቀቅ ማለቱ አይከፋም
November 15th, 2009 at 9:51 am
ለት’ስ ሆፐ ትሃት ትሂስ ዊልል በ ትሀ በጊንኒንግ ኦፍ ትሀ እንድ ኦፍ ጥጵልፍ. ዌ ትሀን ሃቨ ቶ ችሆፕ ኦፍፍ ቲግርይ ፍሮም ተህ ፋቸ ኦፍ እትሂኦፒአ
November 15th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Remember we were so excited the taking over of TPLF from Mengistu regime? Look what got us the evil TPLF. As TPLF is the enemy, becareful ppl before you cheer up, unless you give up Ogaden do not cheer. Like TPLF has said they did not fight to free Ethiopians from Mengistu they fought and won for TPLF and some groups of Tigrayan people. That is why TPLF is adamant in leaving power. in 2005, when Meles said we have lost to the Weyane, the Weyane groups said we have to stay in power because we deserve it we are the one who took power from Mengistu not Ethiopians. So, do you know the agenda of ONLF or OLF for that matter?
November 16th, 2009 at 1:44 am
As has been said above, pls do not celebrate this type of news. It will only make our unfortunate motherland more and more squeezed. Just like you I hate Meles but when it comes to ONLF and OLF we need to be very cautious. In fact, if Meles is overthrown, I am afraid the next day ONLF will declare independence.
I also believe it is due to the Afeworki support that ONLF has managed to reach this level. To me the talk of genocide is being written and propagated again and again by Eritreans mainly to divide and thereby weaken Ethiopia. In other words, it is my strong belief this is highly exaggerated. And I therefore would like to take this opportunity to warn particularly G7 on this issue. Please try to envisage Ethiopia beyond the Woyane regime!
November 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Gedeon,Gedeon, you are weyane cadre, we ethiopian will get you & your people http://www.eppfonline.org