Ethiopia’s Oromo Liberation Front rebels have suffered a major setback after one of its top commanders was arrested in Moyale.
Regional Commissioner for upper Eastern Wenslas Ong’ayo said security personnel arrested the commander on Wednesday.
"The man is in charge of a unit in Moyale and was arrested in Sololo on Wednesday, during an operation by joint security personnel. He is under interrogation and will be taken to court," said Mr Ong’ayo, yesterday.
The administrator said 17 Oromo rebels have so far been arrested in the last one week. In a month-long operation, Kenya arrested 37 other fighters and repatriated them to Ethiopia. Assorted firearms including rocket launchers, land mines, grenades and bazookas were impounded from the fighters’ bases.
Ong’ayo denied reports that Kenya had handed over the captured fighters and their officials directly to Ethiopian authorities, saying they were first taken to court and later repatriated.
