Ethiopian government official, six others killed by suspected rebels

ADDIS ABABA, May 24 (Xinhua) — Suspected Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels have killed an Ethiopian government official and six other people, state owned Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) reported on Monday.

ENA reported the Head of Gelana locality Security Administration Bureau at West Guji zone of Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state was killed along with six other people, during an ambush by suspected OLA rebels on Saturday early evening.

ENA didn’t specify the identity of the deceased Ethiopian government official, as well as the six other victims.

“Suspected OLA gunmen ambushed Gelana locality officials who were inspecting development works in the area killing seven people” reported ENA.

ENA further reported the suspected OLA attack left another five people injured.

Security forces are currently carrying out a manhunt for the suspected OLA rebels who fled the scene soon after carrying out the ambush.

OLA is a breakaway faction of an ex-rebel group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

OLF is an opposition political party claiming to fight for the rights of ethnic Oromos who make up about 35 percent of Ethiopia’s 110 million plus population.

The OLF was designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian parliament in 2011.

OLF was removed from the terror list in July 2018 to help facilitate negotiations and foster reconciliation.

However, a breakaway faction of OLF estimated to have around nearly 3,000 fighters operates in the western and southern parts of Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state, the principal homeland of ethnic Oromos.

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian parliament voted to designate the OLA as a terrorist group. Enditem