
Reports reaching us from the battlefield in Ogaden, where the unflinching Ogaden National Liberation Front [ONLF] forces are fighting to rid the Ogaden of colonial Ethiopian army, say that at least 10 battles occurred there last week alone, weakening colonial Ethiopian troops.
Senior ONLF military officers told the international media that fighting has mostly been taking place at colonial army bases in the Ogaden. They added that the era when battles were fought in villages and rural areas was over.
Meanwhile, aid agencies operating in the Ogaden have reported that colonial Ethiopian forces have started digging huge trenches around major towns for fear of attacks by ONLF fighters.
On 1 October 2009, ONLF fighters and colonial Ethiopian troops clashed in Matanaha, Nogob province. The fighting killed 10 colonial soldiers and wounded nine others.
On 3 October 2009, ONLF fighters and enemy Ethiopian troops fought a fierce battle in the village of Alosan in Nogob province. Twenty-five Ethiopian soldiers were killed and over 30 others were wounded in the fighting. On the same date, 18 enemy Ethiopian soldiers were killed and 20 others were wounded in two separate battles that occurred in Rukumis and Maleyko villages, both located in Nogob province.
On 4 October 2009, unflinching ONLF units mounted an attack on colonial soldiers stationed in Karinka Afyarey in Nogob province, killing nine of them and wounding 10 others. The soldiers had been causing great suffering to locals. On the same date, six colonial Ethiopian soldiers were killed and four others were wounded in a battle that occurred in Jalelo in Korahey province.
On 7 October 2009, heroic ONLF fighters sacrificing their lives for their people and country attacked colonial troops who had come to Hamurka, Nogob province, to pillage and kill civilians. Eight Ethiopian soldiers were killed and 12 others were wounded in the attack. On the same date, unwearied ONLF fighters and Ethiopian troops fought a fierce battle at a place called Sadeh Hareri in Dolo province. Seven enemy Ethiopian soldiers were killed and 25 others were wounded in the fighting.