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| Ethiopian Defense Force Claims “44 Shene Group Members Killed” |
The Ethiopian Defense Force on Tuesday said that it has killed 44 members of “extremist Shane group” in East Wollega Zone of the Oromia region. Two others are said to be captured.
It said the group was operating in Gida and Ayana districts of East Wollega Zone. It cited the Commander of the Western Command Mebrek Division, Colonel Aysheshum Beze, as saying that “community members provided information” on the location of Shane group.
Furthermore, the Defense force claimed that it has seized many individual assault rifles, hand grenades and ammunition. A picture purportedly showing arms seized from the rebels is shared along with a brief update.
The government claim is not independently verified.
The Oromo Liberation Army, whom the government refers to as Shene, has not remarked about the latest claim from the defense force.
However, in a statement it released about five days ago it said the ruling party is engaged in “disinformation”
“Confronted with deepening political isolation, military attrition, and economic collapse, Abiy Ahmed’s Phantom party (PP) cabal has once again turned to disinformation, proxy attacks’ and religious/identity-based assaults.”
The group had been linked to massacres and kidnappings in the Oromo region of Ethiopia and beyond. However, it points fingers back to the government. It claims that the government had organized a thug group in the name of Shane.
