The town of Wardheer was burned down by Meles Zenawi’s troops. In this satellite image of the town of Wardheer, Ethiopia, from Dec. 30, 2007, yellow dots indicate structures that were burned down or destroyed. Source: AAAS

OGADEN, ETHIOPIA – An Ogaden Online News reporter stationed in Doolo province has confirmed that the head of the {www:Woyanne} militia stationed in Wardheer was killed in the battle of Afyaraado. Afyaraado is about six kilometers from Wardheer. The dead Woyanne militia head was a man named Colonel Manos (Sp?). Also killed in the same battle was the head of the conscripted Somali militias nicknamed ‘Wadna Qabad.’

In related news, a local militia numbering 430 under the command of Woyanne officers left the town of Dhanaan and redeployed in Godey. Eyewitnesses indicated that the reason for the redeployment was due to fear by the Woyanne regime that this militia was either going to be overrun by the Ogaden National Liberation Army (ONLA), or that many were preparing to desert.

Reports reaching the Ogaden Online News indicate that ONLA commandos have successfully penetrated a major militia garrison that bordered the Jees Guuleed homes in the city of Dhagax Buur. A fierce firefight ensued and lasted a couple of hours. It was reported that the ONLA commandos confused the Woyane militias by attacking them from four different directions from within the garrison.

This has caused the Woyane militia members to fire indiscriminately in all directions. All ONLA commandos left the garrison unharmed. The fighting left about 25 Woyanne militia members dead.

Due to the increasing success of the ONLA, it is reported that both the so-called head of the local administration and that of the ‘security affairs’ were both summoned to go to Wardheer. Wardheer is the city that came under the most intense ONLA attacks. It is also the city that is most feared to fall for the ONLA at any moment.