Ethiopian security forces kill 119 suspected rebels

Security forces in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state have killed 119 suspected Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels, an Ethiopian official said on Sunday.

Alemayehu Tesfaye, Chief Administrator of East Wollega zone of Oromia regional state, said security forces killed the 119 suspected OLA rebels during military operations in recent days.

Tesfaye said a further 43 suspected OLA rebels and their accomplices had been arrested during recent military operations, reported state media outlet Oromo Broadcasting Network (OBN).

OLA is a breakaway faction of an ex-rebel group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

OLF is an opposition political party claiming to fight for the rights of ethnic Oromos who make up about 35 percent of Ethiopia’s 110 million plus population.

The OLF was designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian parliament in 2011.

OLF was removed from the terror list in July 2018 to help facilitate negotiations and foster reconciliation.

However, a breakaway faction of OLF estimated to have around nearly 3,000 fighters operates in the western and southern parts of Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state, the principal homeland of ethnic Oromos. (Xinhua/NAN)