Senior OLF Leader Battee Urgeessaa Shot Dead in Oromia

A senior leader of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has been shot dead in Ethiopia. Battee Urgeessaa, the head of OLF’s political wing, has been killed.

Battee Urgeessaa hailed from Meqi town East Shewa zone of the Oromia region. He has been killed in his hometown reportedly. In his early forties, the OLF leaders had 3 daughters and 1 son. His family has confirmed the news of his death.

Battee Urgeessaa remained in prison along with other senior leaders of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) in 2020. After Oromo singer Hachalu’s murder, PM Abiy Ahmed’s government imprisoned dozens of political leaders. After his release from prison, he continued his political activities.

Last month Battee Urgeessaa was arrested by security forces while he was being interviewed by a French Journalist at a hotel in Addis Ababa. Both he and the journalist were detained. But later he was released on bail.

Reportedly he was staying at a hotel in Meqi, his hometown. He was abducted from the hotel and shot dead. The perpetrators dumped his body in Meqi town. Battee’s family has confirmed that his bullet riddled dead body was found today in Meqi.

Oromo Liberation Front and Oromo Liberation Army have been accusing the Oromia regional government and the Ethiopian federal government of killing civilians extra judicially. While circumstances surrounding Battee Urgeessaa’s death remain mysterious. his death is being seen as a setback to those who want to bring about change in Ethiopia through political and democratic means.

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