Oromo rebels say Ethiopian army, Sudan SPLA attack its positions

Jan 17, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), armed wing of the Oromo Liberation Front OLF, has accused the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of attacking its position in a joint military operation with Ethiopian troops.

According to a press statement in Oromo translated by the BBC Monitoring Service, the fighting took place on 9 January on western Oromia near the border with Sudan.

The OLA repulsed a major land and aerial military offensive launched by Ethiopian government forces, the opposition Voice of Oromo Liberation radio reported.

In the fighting, the OLA killed 30 Ethiopian soldiers as well as five Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) combatants fighting along the Ethiopian troops, and wounded over 45 enemy soldiers, the statement said.

Over 80 enemy soldiers and their ally fighters were put out of action in the fighting, the OLA added.

In the border offensive, the Ethiopian troops had joined forces with SPLA fighters based in the area. The Ethiopian government had airlifted weapons and a large number of soldiers to Kigile airfield in Sudan, where they were joined by SPLA combatants for the offensive on OLA. Using three helicopter gunships and jet fighters, they launched frontal, rear and aerial offensive, but OLA fighters managed to repulse the attack, scoring an admirable victory.

Also on 9 January, Ethiopian forces launched rear and frontal offensive on the Gambela People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The GPLA fighters killed many Ethiopian soldiers and wounded many more in the fighting.

(ST)