Ethiopia accuses two rebel groups of Grenada attack in eastern Ethiopia
May 28, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian authorities have accused two rebel groups of carrying out a Grenada attack in the Somali region against the president of the troubled eastern state. Six people were killed and over 45 people sustained major and minor injuries.
The explosion immediately claimed the lives of six people and minor and major injuries sustained by other civilians including the chief administrator of the region. The statement said the chief administrator of the region, Abdullahi Hassan, has been treated and is in stable condition.
The deputy chief administrator of the Somali region accused the rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front and the rebel Oromo Liberation Front of perpetrating an attack in Jijiga town of Degeh Bur Zone. The Ethiopian official described the attackers as “messengers” of the Eritrean government.
The Ethiopian TV said “this was confirmed following the seizure of the exploded shell and three unexploded hand grenades taken away from the scene by security forces from the area.”
The official media said that the assailants hurled a bomb into a crowd of over 100,000 people that had come out to celebrate the 16th anniversary celebrations of the demise of the Dergue regime in Jijiga.
Witnesses at the scene said the explosion took place right in front of local Somali region president Abdullahi Hassan, killing five people – mainly musicians – around him during the event at a stadium in the regional capital Jijiga.
Police then fired over the crowd, setting off a rush for the only exit that killed at least six children, the witnesses said.
Adurahmin Mohammed Mahdi, a London-based ONLF spokesman, denied the involvement of his group saying that his movement had nothing to do with Monday’s attack.
“Our policy is not to attack civilian targets or Jijiga,” he told Reuters. “The ONLF attacks military targets only.”
The ONLF, a separatist movement in the remote eastern area last month attacked a Chinese-run oil exploration field, killing 74. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of training and arming the ONLF. But Asmara dismisses these accusations.
(ST)