ONLF Military Communique

January 18 2012

The Ethiopia Army started conducting its seasonal harassment and subjugation campaign against the civilian people in Ogaden.  Troops from  Wardheer, Qabri-dehar and Dhegahbur regions started manoeuvring and harassing civilians in towns and villages around those areas.  

Ethiopian troops from the garrisons of Wardheer, Qorile and Danod converged near the twon of Caado and started conducting punitive campaign against the rural communities in the Area,  killing more than 15 civilians, raping scores of women and creating mass terror. Ogaden National Liberation Army from the Heegan command engaged the marauding Ethiopian troops on the 17 of January 2012, killing 50 Ethiopian soldiers and wounding around 70. Furthermore, the Liberation Army captured ammunition, communication equipment, and Armaments. 5 BKM heavy machine guns and 40 small arms fell into the hands of the liberation army.

In another parallel thrust by the Ethiopian Army on 17^th of January, The Ogaden National liberation Army engaged Ethiopian troops near Degahbur and Kebri-dehar destroying four Military transport vehicles and stopping Ethiopian army attempt to commit mass atrocities to civilians in villages near the area. In those engagements, sixty Ethiopian troops were reported dead by the ONLF Army command. Losses from the liberation Army were minimal.

Similar operations are expected from the Ethiopian Army, which will increase the levels of military engagements between ONLA and the Ethiopian occupation troops in the coming months.

 ONLF