NAIROBI (Somaliguardian) – Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) may seize Ethiopia’s Oromia region in less than a year after gaining ground in lightning offensive against troops loyal to the prime minister of Africa’s second most populous nation, a regional political analyst said on Tuesday.
The rebel group released a video of hundreds of its fighters participating in a military parade in one of the areas it has recently captured from the Ethiopian federal troops and allied regional forces.
VIDEO: Oromo Liberation Army (#OLA) fighters parading as they gain more ground in #Ethiopia’s #Oromia region pic.twitter.com/De97IyLh6D
— Somaliguardian (@SomaliGuardian) September 29, 2021
Ethiopia’s government failed to hold elections in most parts of Oromia region in July due to escalating attacks staged by the rebel fighters, who have opposed the country’s prime minister after he had arrested several prominent politicians from Oromia.
“I estimate OLA will overrun bulk of Oromia in less than a year,” a well-known Horn of Africa political analyst with Sahan Research Rashid Abdi tweeted.
“OLA recruitment and operational successes in recent months suggest a movement clearly on the ascendency. A possible operational tie-up with TDF will be gamechanger.”
I estimate OLA will overrun bulk of Oromia in less than a year.
OLA recruitment and operational successes in recent months suggest a movement clearly on the ascendency.
A possible operational tie-up with TDF will be gamechanger.
— Rashid Abdi (@RAbdiAnalyst) September 28, 2021
In August, OLA struck an alliance with Tigray forces, who are battling the federal troops and Amhara forces in the north, and “agreed on a level of understanding to cooperate against the same enemy, especially in military cooperation”.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
