June 28, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — The rebel Oromo Liberation Army OLA), armed wing of Oromo Liberation Front, killed over 30 soldiers and captured nine others in an attack the Ethiopian troops in eastern zone, a rebel radio reported.

The eastern zonal commander has said that on 19 June 2007 the OLA took a punitive strike against Ethiopian troops at a place called Fulale in the district of Boku, East Hararge Zone, killing over 20 soldiers and wounding 10 others. Besides killing and wounding Ethiopian soldiers in the attack on their base, the OLA captured nine soldiers.

In the attack, the OLA captured over 10 AK-47 assault rifles, six F1 grenades, over 350 firearm rounds as well as other materiel and turned them into an asset for Oromo liberation Army, reported the rebel radio Voice of Oromo Liberation.

On top of the military action against the Ethiopian forces, the OLA stormed a jail and freed 12 Oromo prisoners languishing in there.

On the same date, OLA operating in eastern zone expanded its activity. It overpowered and disarmed a large number of village militiamen the government had set up to fight the rebel OLA.

After subduing and confiscating many Kalashnikov rifles from the militiamen, the OLA explained to them the objectives of the Oromo liberation struggle spearheaded by the OLF, about the OLA military activities. The militiamen were then allowed to return to their home areas.

(ST)