AL-SHABAB REFUTES ONLF MILITARY COOPERATION REPORTS

 Al-Qaeda affiliated group, Al-Shabab has strongly refuted reports in the media quoting that ONLF abetted Alshabab and told their group can have neither military cooperation nor any relations with ONLF armed group which fights in Ethiopia. They said this is totally baseless as the facts on the group are contrary to it.

In their denial report, The Al-Shabab military operations spokesman Sheik Abdilasis Abu Musa’ab said, “They said Al-shabab has a military cooperation with ONFL Group and the group has backed us prior carrying out attacks in Gedo region and this are totally false and unsubstantiated,”

Abu-mas’ab added that ONLF presence in Alshabab held territories is unacceptable as such we can’t have any links with this group.

Governor of gedo region, Mohamed Abdi Tool said they have a credit for the news that Al-Shabab and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) fought against the country’s national armed forces and the African Peacekeeping troops in Bakool region in recent week’s battle that engulfed the lives of more than 30 people.

ONLF Spokesperson Adaani Hirmoge, on his side expressed his refusal on the allegation regarding that fighters from (ONLF) fought alongside Al-Qaeda – aligned group inside Somalia. He added that his group’s aim is to liberate Somalis in Ogaden from the Ethiopian colony.

About Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)

ONLF is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden (also known as Ogadenia) in eastern Ethiopia an independent state. ONLF, established in 1984, demands for the autonomy of this region, and claimed responsibility for several attacks since the beginning of 2007 aimed at Ethiopian forces in the area, which the government considers a region under the new federal system. The area of the Ogaden region stretches at least about 400 thousand square kilometers. There live nearly eight million people, mainly Somali. Because Ogaden is populated by many ethnic Somalis, the ONLF claims that Ethiopia is an occupying government.