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Kenyan Soldiers Battle Ethiopian Rebels

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
June 20, 2004
Posted to the web June 21, 2004

By Martin Mutua
Nairobi
An intense exchange of fire at the Kenyan/Ethiopian border in Moyale has left
several suspected Ethiopian rebels injured, the Sunday Standard has learnt.
A top military official said none of the Kenyan officers have been injured in
the operation by a combined team of the Kenya Armed Forces and police to mop up
arms in the border area.
The Ethiopian rebels are suspected to be members the Oromo Liberation Front
that is fighting the Ethiopian government. They have been straying into Kenya
to terrorise residents of Moyale.
Seventy people have been arrested for interrogation following the operation
that began last week, sources said.
A military officer who spoke to the Sunday Standard on condition of anonymity
said "a lot of ammunition" had been confiscated but did not give a breakdown.
Police spokesman Jasper Ombati confirmed that the police were involved in the
operation.
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Dave Mwangi, said the
operation was a joint exercise between Kenya and Ethiopia to mop up militias on
the Kenyan side.
Press reports yesterday indicated that they had seized 70,000 bullets, three
cartons of landmines and six boxes of hand grenades.
A top military official said people trying to cross the border who did not have
proper identification papers were netted.
"The operation is going on very well and we are using the local administration
and elders to identify individuals from both sides," said the officer who did
not want to be named.
He said the operation is scheduled to be reviewed next Thursday to determine
whether it will continue.
He said 1,200 soldiers from the Paratroopers Battalion 1st KR are involved in
the operation.
He said there were no casualties among the Kenyans but suspected that there
could be injuries or deaths on the Ethiopian side.
The operation is led by Major General Tony Mwaniki and Lieutenant Colonel Ruto.
The operation comes in the wake of complaints by Ethiopian authorities that
oromo rebels have been taking refuge on the Kenyan side. Last month, Moyale MP
Dr Guracha Galgalo complained that several people had been abducted by the
Ethiopian military and tortured.

   

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