Ethiopia says forces killed over 100 Ogaden rebels

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

Sept 18,2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia says its forces have killed 123 fighters of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel movement fighting for the independence of the Ogaden region in eastern Ethiopia, which has promising oil prospects.

He said that unless they surrender, further measures will be taken against them.

The force of around 200 rebels landed on the Red Sea coast on Saturday, the authorities in Somaliland said. They were then taken by truck to the Ethiopian border. Somaliland is an independent region of Somali, which held democratic elections in June of this year without incident. Somilaland still fails to gain international recognition.

Established in 1984, ONLF is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state. It has claimed responsibility for several attacks including an attack at a Chinese oil venture which killed nine Chinese nationals and 65 Ethiopians in 2007.

Following the attacks, Ethiopian forces launched massive assaults against the ONLF. Ethiopia authorities say they are no longer a threat at the region.

The armed wing of the ONLF is the Ogaden National Liberation Army (ONLA). The ONLF has been designated a terrorist group by the Ethiopian government.

Ethiopia accuses arch-foe Eritrea of arming and financing, the ONLF, and Somalia’s Islamic insurgents, Al Shabab – an allegation Asmara denies.

The Ethiopian government recently said that it will sign peace deal with ONLF faction group in October.

(ST)