Oromia Posted November 20, 2006 Rebels say they abducted Red Cross workers in Ethiopia, but will release them The Associated Press Published: September 22, 2006 ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia A rebel group said Friday it abducted two international Red Cross workers in a remote part of eastern Ethiopia, but that the men will be released in 48 hours. The United Western Somali Liberation Front said it mistook the men for oil workers exploring in the ****** region, largely inhabited by ethnic Somalis. Somalia lost control of the region to Ethiopia in 1977, but the rebels believe it belongs to them. The International Committee of the Red Cross engineers were kidnapped Monday near Gode, 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) east of Addis Ababa. "The UWSLF court ruled after an investigation that the two were not working for any oil company contracted by Ethiopia but are ICRC staffers. They will walk to freedom within the coming 48 hours," the group's spokesman, Abdullahi Osman Gashan, said from Mogadishu. The UWSLF also warned companies against exploring for oil or other resources in the region "without the consent of its people." "Whoever tries to do this will be responsible for whatever befall on him," Gashan said. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia A rebel group said Friday it abducted two international Red Cross workers in a remote part of eastern Ethiopia, but that the men will be released in 48 hours. The United Western Somali Liberation Front said it mistook the men for oil workers exploring in the ****** region, largely inhabited by ethnic Somalis. Somalia lost control of the region to Ethiopia in 1977, but the rebels believe it belongs to them. The International Committee of the Red Cross engineers were kidnapped Monday near Gode, 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) east of Addis Ababa. "The UWSLF court ruled after an investigation that the two were not working for any oil company contracted by Ethiopia but are ICRC staffers. They will walk to freedom within the coming 48 hours," the group's spokesman, Abdullahi Osman Gashan, said from Mogadishu. The UWSLF also warned companies against exploring for oil or other resources in the region "without the consent of its people." "Whoever tries to do this will be responsible for whatever befall on him," Gashan said. ONLF seems to be mad at this development: http://www.o*gaden.com/Armedthugs.htm . Delete asterix to get to the link. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abu-Salman Posted November 20, 2006 Is the UWSLF a new organization as the last WSLF has vanished? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Somali_Friend Posted November 20, 2006 UWSLF seems to have been created for just this purpose. United between who and who would be a good question to start with. The WSLF that famous one has decided to fight in the political arena and without the force of arms. WSLF is convinced that their objective can be achieved without war and it might even take shorter time than doing it by force of arms. WSLF is in Jijiga. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oromia Posted November 20, 2006 Originally posted by Djib-Somali: Is the UWSLF a new organization as the last WSLF has vanished? I guess that is the case. I hope UWSLF people themselves would come forward and educate us soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
