Ethiopia : Militant rebel in Oromia region claims gains over gov’t forces Borkena 23:38 Mon, 20 Jan 

Ethiopia : Militant rebel in Oromia region claims gains over gov’t forces 

January 20, 2025

OLA _ Oromo region _ Ethiopian news
Government forces purportedly captured by OLA forces during operation in the past few days in Oromo region of Ethiopia (Photo : screenshot from video)

Borkena

Toronto – The radical ethnic Oromo militant group that calls itself Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) is claiming significant military gains over government forces.  

The group appears to have launched operations in two areas in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. It called it “Operation Cichoomina Kaayyoo” and was launched on January 18. 

Based on updates it shared on its social media page, one of the operations was near Meta Robi and Jeldu towns. 

“On January 18, 2025, the Central Command of OLA launched successful operations in Shinoo and Jimaata Goolaa towns, Meettaa Roobii District, and Osolee and Waraabootti, Jalduu District,” the group said.  In this operation, OLA claims to have killed 110 government soldiers. 150 others are wounded and 31 captured,  according to the group.  However, a video footage the group shared along the story purportedly shows only four or five soldiers as captured. 

It also said that it has seized 1 DShK heavy machine gun,  121 AK-47 rifles and  2 bren machine guns, among other firearms. 

The other area of operation was in the West Guji zone area of the region. This particular operation was launched on Sunday. The operation targeted “regime military camp in Hadaa Loggaa, Bulee Horaa District,” as claimed by the group. In this operation, the group claimed to have killed 30 government soldiers and wounded 21 others. It also claimed to have seized an unspecified number of firearms. 

OLA unspecified if there were casualties on its part from both operations. 

The Ethiopian Defense Force has not remarked on OLA claims of military gain. 

OLA has been operating in many parts of the Oromo region for over six years now. The Defense Force and the Oromia regional government have been claiming that the group is militarily weakened and is no longer in a position to pose a security threat to the region.

On the other hand, the group has been linked to the killings of thousands of ethnic Amhara civilians in Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz and parts of the Amhara region of Ethiopia. It has been also linked to the prevalent ransom kidnappings including in areas in close distance to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. However, last year the group made allegations that there is an armed group within the government structure that is operating in the name of “Shene” – what the government calls OLA. 

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