Ethiopia kills ONLF fighters, Swedish newsmen wounded

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Ethiopia kills ONLF fighters, Swedish newsmen wounded

 

Mon Jul 4, 2011 1:40am IST

 

* Rebels tried to enter via Somalia

 

* Journalists wounded in operation against ONLF

 

 

By Aaron Maasho

 

ADDIS ABABA, July 3 (Reuters) - Ethiopian troops have killed 15 fighters in the country's Somali region in an operation that also led to the wounding of two Swedish journalists accompanying the rebels, an official said on Sunday.

 

More commonly known as the O'gaden the ethnic Somali province is home to a low key insurgency led by the O'gadenNational Liberation Front (ONLF), which has fought for independence since 1984.

 

The pair had crossed into the region on Thursday from neighbouring Somalia along with a team of ONLF fighters that plotted to carry out attacks in the province, government spokesman Shimelis Kemal told Reuters.

 

"Fifteen rebel fighters, all armed, were killed while six were injured. Two Swedish journalists got lightly wounded during the operation," he said. "They are in custody at the moment, having received treatment for their wounds."

 

Officials from the Swedish embassy in the capital were not immediately available for comment.

 

The ONLF said it lost contact with the journalists on July 1 and blamed authorities in the breakaway Somali state of Puntland for their arrest.

 

"(The) ONLF believes that these photojournalists are now in the hands of the Ethiopian government and fears for their lives and safety," it said in a statement.

 

"The ONLF further condemns the Puntland authorities who facilitated the arrest and passed their information to Ethiopian security agents," the group added.

 

The allegations are difficult to verify because journalists and aid groups cannot move unhindered in the area.

 

Apart from the low key rebellion, the arid region has also been the scene of several kidnappings during the past four years and a number of banditry incidents.

 

Two workers of the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) went missing in May following an ambush by gunmen.

 

Government authorities and the ONLF each blamed the other for a May 13 attack in which one U.N. worker was killed and another injured. The missing pair has since been recovered.

 

Ethiopian forces waged an offensive against the rebels in late 2007 after the group attacked a Chinese-run oil facility, killing 74 people. Analysts say the rebels were weakened but are still able to launch hit-and-run attacks.

 

Ethiopia says the O'gaden basin may contain 4 trillion cubic feet of gas and major oil deposits. (Additional reporting by Tesfa-alem Tekle; Editing by George Obulutsa) (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com

[PasserBy]

A. Osman's part time "fighters" sneaked into Ethiopia from Somalia to have themselves filmed by a couple of Swedish "journalists" in desolate areas of Region 5 to bamboozle the world that they control the region. The problem is xabashis were waiting for them at the border.

 

[Faafan]

Desperate Ethiopia, paranoid about Journalists, Aid workers, human rights groups, etc.It as become typical of this dictatorship to use these terror tactics to deter these sectors from visiting the O'gaden so they can continue there war against the Somali people in the O'gaden.The Journalist crossing from the so-called Puntland region another entity at war with the free media tipped off the Ethiopians, these flagrant violations committed by such entities will not be forgotten when all is said and done there will be justice.Those who believe this weakening state of Ethiopia will be there shadow for ever will be disappointed and the Somali people will bring them to account.

[Faafan]

Press Release – 3 July 2011

 

Press Release – 3 July 2011

 

ONLF have lost contact with two Swedish Photojournalists on their way to O'gaden from Puntland since July 1, 2011 and a pro-Ethiopian tabloid in Somali is reporting that The Ethiopian army arrested the two journalists, publishing their names and claiming that the Army killed some of their guides. ONLF also received a tip from sources inside the Puntland Administration that the Ethiopian Army was tipped by Puntland Security regarding the two journalists. The two photojournalists are Mr Johan Persson and Mr Martin Schibbye both working for ‘Kontinent photojournalist agency’. ONLF believes that these photojournalists are now in the hands of the Ethiopian government and ONLF fears for their lives and safety.

 

The ONLF condemns the arrest of Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye who were attempting fulfil their journalistic obligation. This act demonstrates the Ethiopian regimes complete disregard for the rights of the press and it continued determination to prevent any independent reporting from ****** in order to hide their on-going war crimes against the people of O'gaden. The ONLF further condemns the Puntland authorities who facilitated the arrest of these Swedish Photojournalists and passed their information to Ethiopian security agents demonstrating the Puntland continued policy of aiding the Ethiopian regime in all matters related to O'gaden, particularly as it relates to the persecution of O'gaden civilians and enforcing Ethiopia’s efforts to continue to isolate O'gaden from the outside world.

 

The ONLF calls on the international community to hold the Ethiopian regime and Puntland authorities to account for this despicable act and pressure them to release the reporters immediately.

 

O'gaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)

[Jacaylbaro]

ONLF have lost contact with two Swedish Photojournalists on their way to O'gaden from Puntland since July 1, 2011

 

[Nabad_dadaye]

ethiopia iney xuriyada saxaafada eeysan ka jiran waa wax la ogyahaye maxaa labada cadaan meesha geeyay ayagaaba waalan waa hadii uu warka sax yahay.

ONLF ayaan 15 ka dilnay waa dacaayad lasuuq geeynayo , imisaa shacab ah oon wax galabsan ayey dowlada xabashida dishaa kuwaas mamaqalnee maxan ka aqrisaneynaa beenteeda .

[The Zack]

Photojournalists don't carry guns, they carry cameras.Not sure why arrest them. Why does the Meles regime hate journalists so much? If Zenawi thinks arresting journalists will prevent the Western Somali people from gaining their freedom, he needs to think again. It is his best interest to leave the Oga'den. He needs to remember regardless the number of journalists he tries to silence, the news of the war that is going on in the O'gaden will keep coming out. This news will be making it to the headlines of the world.

[PasserBy]

Zack Stank,

 

Your hapless boys don't control even a single hut in Somali Region of Ethiopa. All you do is sneak in from Puntland and attack unarmed WFP workers and sneak back to Puntland. This time however Xabashis were waiting in lay for your mindless goons and those Swedish tourists. And then...

All in all it was a good day for Xabashis.

[The Zack]

Yo son of wayane, if the my boys don't control single town then how come your father meles doesn't let international journalists to the region? What is your father hiding, yaa guraage lij?

[PasserBy]

Zack Stank,

 

Stop talking nonsense. You guys used to complain that humanitarian agencies were no allowed to help the needy in Region 5. But then you slipped into Region 5 from Puntland, ambushed and killed an WFP driver, wounded another one , and took hostages two more whom you released in Puntland a few days ago. Therefore, xabashis are not going to dance to your tunes. After all, you are a bunch of khat addicted bozos who make too much noise like an empty kettle.

 

Incidentally, one of the captured Swedes is a repeat offender. I hope they throw them in jail where they get beat up black and blue.

 

Security kills 15 ONLF fighters, captures two Swedish nationals

 

Monday, 04 July 2011

Addis Ababa, July 4 (WIC) – Somali region police and security officers killed 15 ONLF fighters and wounded six; two Swedish nationals accompanying the rebels also captured.

The 21 member ONLF rebel fighters along with two Swedish nationals crossed boarder from Galkayo in neighboring Somalia plotting attacks in the province, Government Communications Affairs Office said in a statement sent to WIC.

 

The fighters were killed last Thursday in an exchange of fire with Somali region police and security officers at Chelelo and Liwerd kebeles. The two Swedish nationals, lightly injured in the exchange of fire, are held under custody, the statement sent to WIC said.

 

According to the statement, one of the Swedes has accompanied ONLF on two previous occasions.

 

Having been captured on the second occasion, the Swede, accused of defaming the nation, was pardoned and set free by the government of Ethiopia.

 

Authorities say fire arms and short wave radios used by the fighters were also seized after the operation.

 

 

The House of Peoples’ Representatives last month labeled ONLF along with two national groups (OLF and Ginbot 7) as terrorist group under the country’s Antiterrorism Proclamation.