Rebel OLF launches targeted attacks in central Ethiopia – Mereja

The rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has launched a massive attack on Dera, a district in central Ethiopia since the previous night.

Residents of the district told Mereja.com that the attack began around 1 AM on Friday and the police force which was based at a nearby area called ‘Jema’ did not react regardless of continued attack.

The police said they did not receive any order yet and the local militias in the district are making all they can to avoid further attacks from the well armed terrorist group.

However, it is not clear how many people had died or been wounded following the recent attack.

The residents have called for immediate deployment of the Ethiopian National Deence Force (ENDF) and the federal police to deal with advancing terrorist group which have been making targeted attacks against ethnic Amhara residents in the district.

The residents said the government has remained reluctant to deploy a special force despite repeated calls from the residents to stop targeted killings and kidnapping of civilians.

Meanwhile, unspecified people were killed in airstrike conducted at Mendi town in west Wollega zone of Ethiopia’s oromia region.

The airstrike was supposed to kill OLF’s combatants who are fighting the government and attacking mainly ethnic Amhara people in the Oromia region.

The number of casualties is not known yet but residents confirmed to Mereja.com that some other civilians have been wounded due to the airstrike.