Press Release

August 20 2011

Assassination of an Ogaden Community leader in IFO refugee Camp in Kenya

An assassin has shot Mr Abdirizak Mohamed Abdi (Tiba), a community leader from Ogaden under the protection of the UN and the Kenyan government in IFO refugee camp in Kenya on August 19 2011 at noon.  Mr Abdi was fifty years old. He left behind three daughters and six boys.

The assassin initially escaped from the scene, but the Kenyan Police apprehended him later.  Reports reaching ONLF indicate that several cohorts were assisting the culprit.  The assassin tried to resist arrest, wounding a Kenyan police officer, but was finally overpowered and placed in custody. The identity of the assassin and his motive is under investigation. Another suspect who was captured by the police last night.

This is the fourth killing of a refugee from the Ogaden in Kenya this year. On February 5 2011, unknown assailants shot dead Kamas Dhabar Jibarte, while seriously wounding Roble Muse in IFO- Dhadhaab Refugee Camp in Northern Eastern Kenya. Then, on February 182011, Sh. Mohamed Dubad was assassinated in Garisa , the Capital of Kenyan  North Eastern Province.  Three months later, in June 20, 2011, Mr Abdi Abdulahi was abducted in Nairobi and he was found strangled the next day, dumped near an isolated depot. Although the investigations regarding those cases are still on going, no one was arrested yet.

The common thread in all these assassinations is that all the deceased were outspoken opponents of the Ethiopian regime of Meles Zenawi at one time or another. The terroristic acts against Ogaden political figures in the neighbouring countries will escalate the already deleterious conflict to new dimensions and endanger the security of the whole region.

Updates will be provided as the soon as further information becomes available.

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)