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24 April 2007
Before dawn this morning At 0430 AM local
time in Ogaden, the 'Dufaan' commando unit
of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)
conducted a military operation in the
vicinity of Obala, 30km North-West of Degah-Bur
in in Northern Ogaden. The operation
targeted 3 military units of the TPLF regime
who were guarding an oil exploration field.
TPLF forces in Obala have now been wiped out
with many having surrendered to ONLF
commandos. The oil facility has been
completely destroyed.
The ONLF has stated on numerous occassions
that we will not allow the mineral resources
of our people to be exploited by this regime
or any firm that it enters
into an illegal contract with so long as the
people of Ogaden are denied their rights to
self-determination.
By refusing to discuss a comprehensive
political solution to the Ogaden issue in a
neutral country and in the presence of a
third party, the TPLF regime has made clear
its intention to continue to pursue a
military solution in Ogaden. As such, we
wish to
reaffirm to the international community that
the Ogaden region continues to be a battle
zone between armed forces of the current
TPLF led regime and our liberation forces.
It is not a safe environment for any oil
exploration to occur. We urge all
international oil companies to refrain from
entering into agreements with the Ethiopian
government as it is not in effective control
of the Ogaden despite the claims it makes.
Oil investments in Ogaden will result in a
similiar loss for any firm that believes
assurances of security it recieves from the
Ethiopian government which has never been in
effective control of Ogaden
Further details will be forthcoming.
Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)
onlfpress@onlf.org
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