Their Murky claims have been busted.

[Addoow]

(Reuters) - Ethiopia on Monday denied that rebels fighting for independence for a region with potentially lucrative oil and gas reserves had seized seven towns near the border with neighbouring Somalia.

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) said on Saturday it had taken the towns after almost a week of fierce fighting with the Ethiopian army.

"They haven't taken any towns at all," Bereket Simon, Ethiopian government head of information, told Reuters. "Their attacks last week were simply the desperate act of a dying force and about 245 of their fighters were killed."

Bereket said the ONLF were repelled by local militias allied to the government and that no Ethiopian soldiers had been killed.

The ONLF wants autonomy for the Ogaden region, whose population is ethnic Somali. The area is said to contain mineral deposits and international firms including Malasia's state-owned Petronas and Sweden's Lundin are exploring its deserts for oil.

The rebels in 2007 attacked an oil exploration field owned by a subsidiary of Sinopec, China's biggest refiner and petrochemicals producer, and killed 74 people. They now regularly warn foreign companies off prospecting.

"NO FEAR FOR OIL COMPANIES"

"International companies have nothing to fear from coming to explore in Ethiopia," Bereket said. "Our forces weakened the ONLF after they attacked the Chinese company and they are no threat anymore. They were easily repelled."


Since when did they start resorting to Propoganda?

[Ducaysane_87]

man of truth.

[The Nomad]

If you're going to propagate propaganda say something believable. Who's going to believe a grassroots rag-tag militia killed 600+ troops with no evidence?

Forget the explicit denial, for me this is far more convincing:

"International companies have nothing to fear from coming to explore in Ethiopia," Bereket said. "Our forces weakened the ONLF after they attacked the Chinese company and they are no threat anymore. They were easily repelled."

You can't make claims like that if you're lying. There's far too much at stake.

[S-D-M]

So you guys are happy that Somali rebel lost to ethiopia..........ilahow cuqdad hanoo dilin

[Hyperactive]

they can deny as much as they want.

[Addoow]

So you guys are happy that Somali rebel lost to ethiopia..........ilahow cuqdad hanoo dilin

Absolutely NO,we are just against in been lanagu afuufo.It has been a week of fairytales.

[The Nomad]

So you guys are happy that Somali rebel lost to ethiopia..........ilahow cuqdad hanoo dilin

Nobody's happy. It's begrudging honesty. The truth supersedes blind fantasy, saxib.

[Voltage]

So wait let me get this straight...the Ethiopian government is supposed to admit they lost a battle to a rebel group?

[Voltage]

Forget the explicit denial, for me this is far more convincing:

"International companies have nothing to fear from coming to explore in Ethiopia," Bereket said. "Our forces weakened the ONLF after they attacked the Chinese company and they are no threat anymore. They were easily repelled."

You can't make claims like that if you're lying. There's far too much at stake.

This Agame is so see through its nauseating.

[The Nomad]

So wait let me get this straight...the Ethiopian government is supposed to admit they lost a battle to a rebel group?

No.

But they're not supposed to welcome organizations to areas supposedly under rebel control if they feel it would be unsafe either. That would have huge implications for Ethiopia and it's reputation.

It's quite simple.

[Voltage]

The Ethiopian government was saying the same thing when 70 Chinese and Ethiopian military personal digging for oil were killed. What are you a child? Did you just learn about politics today?

[DUFAAN_]

These kids are actually losing sleep due to heartbreak over the events of last week

Bereket said. "Our forces weakened the ONLF after they attacked the Chinese company and they are no threat anymore. They were easily repelled."

I wonder why they refuse reporters to enter ogadenia

[suga_delic]

and u expect the filthy habash 2 admit a defeat?

[Voltage]

Bereket reminds me of Mohamed Sahaf, the Iraqi information minister during 2002 war.

[DUFAAN_]

Bereket reminds me of Mohamed Sahaf, the Iraqi information minister during 2002 war.

baqdad bob.