Oromo Liberation Army pushed out of Gidami town in Western Oromia

Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has been pushed out of Gidami town in Western Oromia. OLA, an armed group, has been waging an armed struggle in the Oromia region of Ethiopia for years.

The group is mainly based in Western and Southern Oromia. In Western Oromia, it is operating in alliance with other armed groups from neighboring regions. In Oromia-Gambela-Benishangul Gumuz border areas, OLA has been carrying out attacks in collaboration with fighters from neighboring Gambela & Benishangul Gumuz regions.

Ethiopian parliament last May designated OLA as a terrorist outfit. Recently OLA rejected the upcoming Ethiopian National Dialogue. Read more…

OLA fighters have been in control of Gidami town for several weeks. The town is situated in the Kellem Wellga zone of western Oromia. Due to its proximity to South Sudan and Sudan, Gimbi is a strategic town.

Four Regional and Federal forces launched a joint operation last month to push Oromo Liberation Army out of the town. Oromia Regional Force, Oromia Special Force, Ethiopian Federal Police, and Ethiopian National Defence Force were part of the operation.

According to Mr. Ibisa, Kellem Wellega zone administrator, Shene (Oromo Liberation Army) has been pushed out of Gidami town. He accused OLA of having killed 168 civilians in Kellem Wellega during its control of Gimdai. “Out of the 168, 87 were killed in one place and OLA fighters destroyed schools, a police station, and other government buildings”, said the zonal administrator.

Oromo Liberation Army has not issued any official statement in response to these allegations so far.

According to some Amhara news sources, the persons killed in the Kellem Wellga were members of the Amhara ethnic community. Both Oromo Liberation Army and Amhara Forces accuse each other of ethnic violence in the Wellega zone. Massive displacements of civilians have been reported in Wellega for months.