By Ahmed Abdi
Somalilandsun – Somalia’s Islamist militia Al-Shabaab denied that its fighters associated with ONLF Liberation Army (ONLA) and labeled ONLF “un-Islamic”, this follows after the governor of Somalia’s Bakool Province, Mohammed Abdi Tool, told VOA’s Somali service that he had evidence that fighters from ONLF fought alongside Al-Shabaab in Bakool regions.
“It is a blatant lie, these guys (SFG) never ashamed of telling lies, it is bespeak that ONLF’s denial and they (ONLF) would not decline if they took part in the fight,” said Sheik Abdi-Aziz Abu Mus’ab, Al-shabab’s Spokesperson on Friday.
“We have no relationship with the ONLF, which we regard as un-Islamic as long as it is not fighting a cause of religious ideology, and it’s banned from the territory under our control,” added Abuu Mus’ab.
The governor in a lengthy interview with the VOA Somali service accused ONLF of becoming allies with the Shebaab since they both have a common enemy, Ethiopia. And he justified Liyuu Police’s involvement in the fight as a good intention of chasing ONLF fighters in Somalia
The ONLF had on Thursday released a statement denying any involvement with not only the indicated incident in Somalia’s Bakool region but entirely with Al-shabaab as a whole.
The Ogaden National Liberation Front did not take part in that fighting nor in any other fighting between Al-shabab and the Army of Ethiopia, whether in Somalia, along the border or inside the Ogaden, said a press release issued by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) on Thursday.
“This unfounded allegation by the so-called regional governor of Bakool is probably instigated by the Ethiopian regime that controls most of Somalia. It is a weak attempt to link ONLF and Al-Shabaab, while justifying the defeat suffered by the joint Ethiopian and Somalia tribal militias, “reads the press release.
“They said without clear evidence ONLF fought in Jawhar, in Kismayo, and in the central Somalia regions it seems, whoever is defeated in the battlefield claims that the ONLF is part of the fight. They always say this when they get hurt and the pain of the bullet touches them in a bid to receive Ethiopia’s TPLF assistance against their fellow Somali rivals,” Said Adaani Hirmooge, the ONLF Spokesperson.”This Man referring to the Somali governor, Mr. Tool, is neurotic that Ethiopia requested to act as an Ethiopian mouthpiece because he is paid or threatened. It is truly amazing how dirty a country can be towards Somali officials and Ethiopia is a good example.”
ONLF mentioned in her press Release the unreported daily fighting that have been going on more than two decades and rejected involving in what it called “the quagmire in the political marshland of Somali, which it says its big ,bad neighbor of Ethiopia “always try to capitalize on” but finally meets her waterloo.
ONLF mentioned in her press Release the unreported daily fighting that have been going on more than two decades and rejected involving in what it called “the quagmire in the political marshland of Somali, which it says its big ,bad neighbor of Ethiopia “always try to capitalize on” but finally meets her waterloo.
“As for the Ethiopian surrogates in Somalia regional administrations posing as Somali officials, it is not the responsibility of ONLF if your tribal militias donned Somali National Army uniforms are thrashed by Al-Shabaab. The responsibility lies solely with you, who are incapable of building and managing an effective administration that can create the objective conditions that can bring security and good governance to the Somali people and defeat those who endanger it.”
It’s reported that the heavy-fighting between Al-Shabaab and Ethiopia that took place in Somalia’s Bakool regions was involved in Ethiopia’s notorious Liyu Police Militia, which Human Rights Groups accuse committing human rights abuses in Somali region of Ogaden.
Liyu Police is not part of the AMISOM mandate in Somalia. And why did the Liyu police enter into Somalia is a story in itself. Trained with funds from Western donors, Liyuu Police is an ethnic Somali paramilitary force that fights with Ethiopian troops against ONLF National Army.
Reliable sources say that Liyu Police, Militia has captured 7 towns in Somalia’s Bakool Province, including Aato, Rabdhure, Biyabaho, and Laga’lay, but lost at least 40 its fighters in the battle with Al-Shabab.
The ONLF rebel movement is founded in 1984 by Somali intellectuals of Ogaden with its current objective being a demand for a referendum for separation of its oil-and-gas rich territory of Ogaden from Ethiopia. Peace-talks between Ethiopia and Ogaden stalled in Oct 17,2012,after the ONLF rejected to accept the Ethiopian constitution which it says the Ethiopian constitution does not concern the Somalis in Ogaden .
