VOA News Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
Officials in the self-declared republic of Somaliland say their forces have surrounded about 250 Ethiopian rebels who entered the territory illegally.
The officials say the rebels are believed to be with the Ogaden National Liberation Front, a group that has fought the Ethiopian government since 1984.
Somaliland’s military chief, General Elmi Robleh Furur, told reporters Monday that the alleged rebels entered Somaliland by water September 10th and were trying to get into Ethiopia.
He said Ethiopian and Somaliland troops have the rebels surrounded in mountains on the border.
There has been no comment from the ONLF or Ethiopian authorities.
Ethiopia’s rival Eritrea has long been accused of supporting the ONLF. The group is seeking independence or autonomy for Ethiopia’s eastern Somali region.
Somaliland has good relations with Ethiopia and has helped Ethiopia with its fight against the rebels in the past.
Somaliland declared itself independent from the rest of Somalia in 1991 but is not recognized by any other state.
Some information in this story was provided by AP.
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