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OLA insurgency

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OLA insurgency
Part of the Oromo conflict and Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

Map of Ethiopia showing the Oromia Region
Date6 August 2018 – present
(6 years, 4 months, 1 week and 1 day)
Location
Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Status

Ongoing

  • Start of peace talks between government of Ethiopia and the OLA on 25 April 2023.[1][2]
  • Conflict resumes after peace talks failed in May 2023.
  • Peace agreement signed between OLA leaders and the Ethiopian government on 1 December 2024 and its members started moving into designated camps[3][4][5][6]
Belligerents
 OLA
Commanders and leaders

5,623 killed (per ACLED, Aug. 2018 – Dec. 2022)[9]

The OLA insurgency is an armed conflict between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which split from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in 2018,[10] and the Ethiopian government, continuing in the context of the long-term Oromo conflict, typically dated to have started with the formation of the Oromo Liberation Front in 1973.[11]

The insurgency has gained strength in recent years, though it is not sufficiently armed or organized enough to pose a serious threat to the government.[12]

On 1 December 2024, a peace agreement signed between the OLA leader Jaal Senay Negasa and Oromia President Shimelis Abdisa.

Background

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Main article: Oromo conflict
See also: Ethnic discrimination in Ethiopia and Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

The Oromo conflict dates back to at least the formation of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in 1973, evolving from the Bale Revolt that started in the 1960s in response to perceived injustices by the groups in power against the Oromo people.[11]

In August 2018, the OLF made peace settlements with the Ethiopian government,[13] along with several other groups, including the Ogaden National Liberation Front and Ginbot 7. The OLF leadership agreed to disarm its soldiers within 15 days of their arrival in Addis Ababa. According to then-OLF leader Ibsa Negewo, the OLF claimed to have 1,305 soldiers in Eritrea and 4,000 in West and South Oromia. The men stationed in Eritrea agreed to disarm but most of those in Oromia refused to do so despite their leaders’ wishes. One leader, Kumsa Diriba, also known by his nom de guerre as "Jaal Maro", failed to reach a deal with the government and after a falling out with the OLF, he split away from the OLF and formed OLF–Shene, also known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). Security forces promised to crush the group within two weeks but haven't been able to do so even after 5 years of fighting.[14][15][16]

Timeline

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During the two years following its 2018 split with the OLF, the OLA killed 700 civilians in the East and West Guji Zones according to Haaji Umar Nagessa, a "veteran freedom fighter and tribal leader", who was assassinated by the OLA on 4 April 2020.[17]

On 29 May 2020, Amnesty International released a report accusing the security forces of Ethiopia of mass detentions and extrajudicial killings. The report stated that in 2019, at least 25 people, suspected of supporting the Oromo Liberation Army, were killed by the forces in parts the Oromia Region. Between January and September 2019, at least 10,000 people were detained under suspicion, where most were "subjected to brutal beatings".[18]

Joint offensive with the TDF (2021)

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Main article: TDF–OLA joint offensive
See also: Tigray War and Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

In March 2021 during the Tigray War, a division of the Eritrean Defence Forces left the Tigray Region and arrived in the Oromia Region to fight against the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), according to Freedom Friday.[19] On 11 August 2021, the OLA leader Kumsa Diriba (nom de guerre Jaal Maroo) announced that the group had formed an alliance with Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and that there were plans among opposition groups to establish a "grand coalition" against prime minister Abiy Ahmed, himself an Oromo.[20]

During Irreechaa celebrations in early October, protestors chanted against Abiy Ahmed and in favour of OLA commander Jaal Marroo.[21] By late October, the OLA controlled much of the former Wollega province.[22] On 31 October, the OLA took control of Kamisee in the Oromia Zone of the Amhara Region, at the same time as the Tigray Defense Forces took control of Kombolcha, about 50 kilometres to the north.[23]

On 1 November, OLA Commander-in-Chief Jaal Marroo said that the OLA had taken "several towns in western, central, and southern Oromia, facing little resistance from government forces who were retreating."[24]

During early and mid-November 2021, a TDF–OLA joint offensive took several towns in North Shewa zone of Amhara Region along a major road leading south from Tigray Region to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, appearing to threaten a military attack on Addis Ababa.[25]

November 2022 – December 2024

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Fighting between the OLA and Ethiopian government escalated during November 2022, as clashes between the two killed dozens. An alleged aerial attack killed many in the village of Bila in the West Welega Zone; battles between rebels and government forces in Nekemte followed this attack.[26] It was reported that the OLA seized control of Hamuma Gindo, Babu Dire, Becho, and Harbu kebeles, following clashes with militias there. Drone strikes against the rebels by the Ethiopian military occurred during that time. There were also reports of abductions and attacks against civilians by the OLA.[27] The OLA and Amhara militias clashed in Gutin during December, and both groups were reported to have attacked civilians during their conflict, with Amhara militias attacking civilians in Welenchiti, and the OLA attacking in Kiremu. Many of the Amhara militias have been identified as the Fano militia.[28]

Estimated to be only a few thousand men in 2018, the OLA has gained strength in recent years, though it is not sufficiently armed or organized enough to pose a serious threat to the government.[29] On 1 December 2024, OLA leaders and Ethiopian government reached peace agreement after years of previous peace talks in Tanzania. It was signed between OLA leader Jaal Senay Negasa and Oromia President Shimelis Abdisa in Addis Ababa.[30][31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ethiopian PM announces start date of peace talks with rebel group". 24 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Ethiopian Government Initiates Peace Talks With Oromo Rebel Group". 24 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Ministry Hails Peace Deal Between Oromia Regional Gov't, OLA Senior Leader as Critical Step". 1 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Oromia regional government and OLA sign peace agreement in Ethiopia (+Photos)". 1 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Members of OLA begin moving into designated camp following Peace agreement". 3 December 2024.
  6. ^ "OLA Militants Start Entering to Designated Camps Following Peace Deal". 3 December 2024.
  7. ^ "USA TODAY". www.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  8. ^ "ETHIOPIA : Who's who among Abiy's Oromo foes - 06/01/2022". Africa Intelligence. 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  9. ^ "ACLED Dashboard - ACLD". ACLED.
  10. ^ Shaban, Abdur Rahman Alfa (7 August 2018). "Ethiopia govt agrees peace deal with Eritrea-based 'ex-terror' group". Africanews. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Insurrection and invasion in the southeast, 1963-78" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-26. Retrieved 2017-06-01.
  12. ^ "Ethiopia: Rebels kill 48 in Oromia region, says rights agency". The Africa Report. 7 November 2024.
  13. ^ Alfa Shaban, Abdur Rahman (7 August 2018). "Ethiopia govt agrees peace deal with Eritrea-based 'ex-terror' group". Africanews.
  14. ^ Dube, Nagessa (2021-06-18). "Ethiopia: Victory for the Oromo will come from winning hearts and minds, not terrorising people". The Africa Report.com. Archived from the original on 2021-08-08. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  15. ^ "Ethiopia's Oromia conflict: Why a teacher was killed 'execution-style'". BBC News. 2021-01-16. Archived from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  16. ^ Zelalem, Zecharias (20 March 2021). "Worsening violence in western Ethiopia forcing civilians to flee". Al Jazeera English.
  17. ^ Dube, Nagessa (3 August 2020). "Guji Oromo need freedom from liberators". Ethiopia Insight.
  18. ^ "New report alleges killings, mass detentions in Ethiopia". Associated Press. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Report: 'Eritrean troops despatched to Oromia'". Eritrea Hub. 2021-03-22. Archived from the original on 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  20. ^ Anna, Cara (11 August 2021). "Ethiopia Armed Group Says it Has Alliance with Tigray Forces". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  21. ^ "News: Protests break out at Irreecha Hora Finfinne festival in Ethiopia's capital". Addis Standard. 2021-10-02. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  22. ^ Zewdu Teshome, Moges (2021-10-20). "We must end the civil war to save Ethiopia". Ethiopia Insight. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  23. ^ "Tigrayan and Oromo forces say they have seized towns on Ethiopian highway". TimesLIVE. 2021-11-01. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  24. ^ "Oromo Liberation Army: On the ground with Ethiopian fighters". BBC News. 2021-11-01. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  25. ^ Walsh, Declan; Marks, Simon (2021-11-02). "Ethiopia Declares State of Emergency as Rebels Advance Toward Capital". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-11-16. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  26. ^ Anna, Cara (8 November 2022). "Witnesses say new fighting in Ethiopia's Oromia kills dozens". ABC News. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  27. ^ "EPO Weekly: 26 November-2 December 2022". Ethiopia Peace Observatory (ACLED). 6 December 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  28. ^ "EPO Weekly: 3-9 December 2022". Ethiopia Peace Observatory (ACLED). 14 December 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Ethiopia: Rebels kill 48 in Oromia region, says rights agency". The Africa Report. 7 November 2024.
  30. ^ Endale, Ashenafi (2024-11-30). "Oromia Says Peace Talks With OLA In Progress, Claims Facilitating Tanzania Negotiations". www.thereporterethiopia.com. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  31. ^ "Oromia Regional Government, OLA senior leader sign peace agreement". Welcome to Fana Broadcasting Corporate S.C. 2024-12-01. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
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