ONLF killed 24 Woyanne soldiers in eastern Ethiopia

(AFP) – The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) claimed it killed 24 Ethiopian Woyanne soldiers in the Ogaden’s eastern region of Degah Bur and added that the fighting was ongoing.

“24 Woyanne troops have been killed in this latest round of fighting since March 4, with dozens wounded,” it said in a statement.

The ONLF said the troops it was combating had recently been redeployed inside Ethiopia from southern Somalia, where they were part of the occupation forces the Woyanne regime finished withdrawing earlier this year.

It also said it captured an army weapons depot near Degah Bur.

The Woyanne military denied the ONLF’s claim and insisted it was not involved in fighting in that region.

“It is not true. We have seen what they said, but according to the information we got from Somali region officials, there is fighting between local people and their militias and local terrorists,” state secretary for information Ermias Legesse told AFP.

“Among these terrorists, one leader and two members of the ONLF have been killed by the militias. The Ethiopian Woyanne army is not involved,” he added.