“Ethiopian military have kidnapped them as they witnessed the troops committing mass killing against Somali nomadic and pastoralists following battle with us (ONLF). The Ethiopians also killed WFP driver because they feared to tell mass killing against innocent civilians” he noted. “They (Ethiopian forces) wanted to stifle UN workers from telling the truth” he added.
| Source: | (AHN) | Reporter: | Abdi Hajji Hussein |
| Location: | Jigjiga, Ethiopia | Published: | May 26, 2011 09:57 am EDT |
| Topics: | Unrest, Conflicts And War, Armed Conflict, Politics, International Organization | ||
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) on Thursday claimed that their fighters had rescued recently abducted staff working for the United Nations food agency after a fierce battle with Ethiopian military forces.
In an interview with a local radio station, Hussein Mohammed Nur, ONLF’s head of information, said the rebels launched the attack after receiving information that two World Food Program workers were in Ethiopian custody in the district of Dabashe, which lies in the Dhagahtur region in the Somali region under Ethiopian protectorate.
Nur said the staff members had been missing since May 13. He described them as being "good in health and in a peaceful location.”
He charged that Ethiopian forces have kidnapped the workers because “they witnessed the troops committing mass killing against Somali nomadic and pastoralists following battle with us. The Ethiopians also killed WFP driver because they feared to tell mass killing against innocent civilians."
Last week, the food agency said a driver working for WFP was gunned down and another staff member injured by unknown gunmen in the Somali region in eastern Ethiopia. It went on to say that also two other employees were missing.
WFP said it provides food assistance to 4.5 million people in Ethiopia, including refugees and school children, in highly food insecure areas.
This is the second deadly attack on a WFP humanitarian worker in less than a month to take place in the region.
However, the president of a Somali region under an Ethiopian protectorate, Abdi Mohmoud Omar, last week charged an Ethiopian rebel group with attacking and killing a driver and kidnapping others working for the U.N. food agency.
Omar said the ONLF rebel group is trying to block international relief agencies from reaching the Ogaden region to help drought-affected people.
He called for the international community to arrest ONLF officials abroad, accusing them of financing the armed guerillas.
Ethiopia has not confirmed or denied accusations by the rebels.
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90049709?Ethiopian%20rebels%3A%20We%20rescued%20UN%20workers%20after%20bitter%20battle%20with%20gov't%20troops#ixzz1NXaJKG33
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