ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – An Ethiopian rebel leader blamed for blasts in Addis Ababa was lured into a farmer’s house in the rural west and then shot dead, [Woyanne] authorities said on Friday.
[Dictator] Meles Zenawi’s government, the biggest U.S ally and military power in the turbulent Horn of Africa, faces a cluster of insurgency movements in its outer regions.
“Legesse Wegi, military commander and central committee member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and some of his followers were killed on Wednesday in Kelem district of the western Wellega region,” police said in a statement.
It said Legesse, whose OLF has fought for autonomy for the southern Oromo region since 1993, was behind 12 “terrorist” attacks and fatal bombs in Addis Ababa in the last few years.
“He was lured into the home of a farmer to eat food and was then killed by the locals in cooperation with security forces while he was trying to escape,” police said.
“Some of his followers were also killed, while some others surrendered to security forces, appealing for mercy,” the statement added, without giving more details.
There was no immediate confirmation from the OLF.
Earlier this week, Ethiopian Woyanne authorities paraded on TV more than a dozen people they said were captured OLF leaders.
Ethiopia Woyanne says the OLF and other groups are supported by neighbour Eritrea. Asmara denies that, saying Meles’s oppressive policies have sparked resistance movements.
A string of explosions have gone off in Ethiopia’s highland capital Addis Ababa in recent years, some killing several people at a time, others just causing damage.
(Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Giles Elgood)
6 thoughts on “Woyanne says an OLF commander killed in western Ethiopia”
What else is new in occupied ETHIOPIA? Where citizens driven off their homes, then get hunted for trophy, lebelled with all sorts of smears. Starving people lured with food and then butchered in day light, then smeared with every possible dirt.
Even those people who try to lead peaceful life kidnapped in dark for slaughter house. Children and women killed with no mercy. BUSINESS people farmer robbed under the name of government policy. Citizen mass arrested and torture to death for no single known crime! What crime would a breast feeding baby could commit? ACCORDING witnesses of government of MELES Zenrkawi prisons, are mothers and their breast feeding babies.
This speaks volumes of what type of regime have hailed out poverty infested Region of Tigere. Justice in Ethiopia has been denied by the force and burrels of killing guns but it shall come at the end.
The arrest warrant against butcher Mr. Melese Zerkawi and his THUGERE boys is a must infact its long over due!!
God bless those who have fallen a prey to this facshist criminal thugere regimes. God bless Mr. Legese’s sauls for he was forced out of his home to starve and got killed by bloody criminals. Ethiopia would be free from blood suckkers by all and any means!
The primary reason for the insurgency is the suffocating opressive regime in Addis. The secondary reason is external support that is historically anti Ethiopia and which will not cease even if there is a gov’t change. How ever, foreign elements do get their way into the country when there is grievance by the people. If I was the leader of OLF what else could have I done. I don’t have a clue and while I affirmatively condone any type of insurgency that directly affect civilians I don’t have the best answer for this one. Violence breeds violence and the vicious cycle doesn’t seem to subside in the near future. For those of us who are sane, we should try to promote peace and condone violence of any type. I am optimistic that there are other ways to tacle our problems. Violence is an act of desperation. But a well organized insurgency which has a clear ideology may not prolong the suffering of the mass, actually it could expedite the struggle to freedom. The problem is when there are no organizations that do have clear ideology paralleled with good strategy and plan. What I see in Ethiopian insurgecy warfare is disorganization. The only organization that is really viable is ONLF. Personally I have a clear opposition to its mission but for now that is a an organization that seems to function effectively with vigor. The rest of Ethiopian oppostion parties have never been in the worst form of disarray like now. Any way what will happen will happen and must happen. Time will unfold history before our eyes. Lets hope for the betterment of the poor Ethiopians life.
Wishful thinking on the part of the Weyane lying machine! Do you folks remember when we were told that “More than 10,000 Eritrean troops were killed with NO ETHIOPIAN LOSSES” right at the Weyane instigated foolish war against Eritrea? I do. Do you also remember when the border commission verdict was issued all the ballyhoo of how the despicable Weyane Foreign Minister for life bragged how “We got Badme and lands we didn’t even ask for” only to reverse it into intransigence once the empty euphoria evaporated into thin air? I do. Do you remember how the little midget from Adwa bragged that his agazi forces have eliminated the OLF, ONLF so may times just to spring back in action as if one believes life after death? Weyane is doing all this to impress the newly elected Obama that there are “terrorists” working against his regime in Ethiopia and that he badly needs the attention of the new kid in the block after his old master has disappeared. That is all. There is nothing about this pompous claim.
Incase they forgot, Mengistu was saying and doing the same thing to them when they were in the bushes.
I guess weyane the mercenary criminal organization must be short of U.S dollars.This week it is acting up as a mad dog by annoucing the arrests and killings of innocent ethiopians,specially oromo nationals.The heat is up for weyane tugs first their master Mr,George Bush is kicked out of office thanks to U.S voters,second their master can not spare no more dollars ,because American economy is in shumbles for sure african mercenaries and beggars like weyane are the first to be abandoned.Adios weyane::Please diaspora nationals of Ethiopan origin and their supportes keep up the heat by demanding that your tax dollars do not go to slaughter your own kind. Demand no more dollars to brutal tigrayan military might or weyane.Solidarity between all people of the horn Somalis,Ethiopians and Eritreans based on mutual respect and trust.
The only solution is for Etiopians to unite. As long as Ethiopians don’t unite, no president can help us. We should do our home work then they can help. Otherwise it will remain wishful thinking.