Ogaden rebels accuse Puntland of handing over youth to Ethiopia

Wednesday 28 October 2009 03:00.
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October 27, 2009 (NAIROBI) — Ogaden rebels accused the Somali Puntland regional administration of handing over youth from southeast Ethiopia troubled region to Addis Ababa government.

Last year the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) said Puntland regional administration had sealed a secret deal with the Ethiopian government to handover Oganden people and rebels to Addis Ababa.

Puntland Administration recently arrested a number of youth from Ogaden region and and handed them over to the Ethiopian government, said Hussein Mohamed Nur, ONLF communication officer.

In a statement to the independent Shebelle website Nur said Somaliland and Puntland deliver Ogaden youth to the Ethiopian government. He added that his group sent messages to the two administrations calling to stop such cooperation.

The Ogaden rebels dismissed last September cooperation with the Islamist insurgents in Somalia, Al Shebab who want to topple down the UN backed government in Mogadishu.

The rebel group said not surprised by this accusations from the governor of Somali officials who are "sponsored by Ethiopia," reaffirming that there group does not interfere in the internal affairs of the Somali republic and in fact has so far supported the new transitional government" despite the close relations between some Somali officials and Addis Ababa.

(ST)