Ethiopia: Faction of OLF declares ceasefire

ESAT News (July 12, 2018)

Dawud Ibsa

A faction of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) led by Dawud Ibsa declared a ceasefire today following a meeting between him and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Asmara early this week.

The OLF said in a statement today that it was convinced that the meeting between its leader and the Prime Minister has paved the way for peaceful resolution of differences and has moved the peace efforts one step forward.

“We declared a ceasefire, except in cases where we have to defend attacks by government forces,” the statement written in Amharic and received by ESAT said.

President of Ethiopia’s Oromo region accused yesterday that some groups were trying to destabilize his region under the guise of fighting for the rights of the Oromo people.

Speaking yesterday at the assembly of the regional council, Lemma Megersa said some elements from abroad and inside the country that refused to be part of the ongoing peace and reconciliation process have chosen to engage in ruining peace in the region.

Megersa said a group claiming to fight for the liberation of the Oromos has attacked security forces and ransacked public and private properties in the Western part of the region.

Last week an armed group calming to be a faction of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has attacked areas in Wollega, Western Ethiopia. The group has reportedly killed four police officers and destroyed properties.