It is to be remembered that last November, Ethiopia’s dictator Meles Zenawi fired several high-ranking military officers, including General Alemeshet Degife of the Air Force, and Generals Kumera Assefa and Asamenew Tsige of the Army. By some estimate, close to 12,000 members of the armed forces–all or most of them Oromo and Amhara–have been fired, and about 3,000 of them have been arrested, suspected of being disloyal to the Woyanne tribal junta. Those who have been arrested are suspected of being members of the opposition Coalition for Unity & Democracy (Kinijit).

ER has been informed by reliable sources that another round of firing and arrest is about to be carried out in the military.

Recently, Meles called to his office the heads of the armed forces and ordered them to conduct meetings throughout the military in order to identify those who may be opposing the illegitimate rule of his Woyanne regime.

The meeting has started this week under the supervision of General Samora Yenus, Meles Zenawi’s trusted general and member of the Tigrean People Liberation Front (Woyanne).

Sources told ER that upto 4,000 officers are expected to be dismissed in the coming few days. The focus is on officers from the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups.

According to the sources, most of the officers who are not members of the TPLF are opposing the unprovoked invasion of neighboring Somalia.