Security detained 14 in relation to Afar Gadle

ESAT News Federal Police arrested fourteen people in the Afar Region including a Kebele Chairman, member of Woreda Council, a police officer and elders, in relation to the Afar Gadle Armed Movement. The arrests follow the recent desertion of over 70 Afar youth who joined the Armed Movement.

Abduli Momin, Chairman of Rumayto Kebele, Nor Ali, speaker of the House, Yayo Ali, Police Chief, Abdujelil Anfere , Muhamed Ali, Muhamed Isaye, Muhamed Yesuf, Abo Abdu, Foka Hale, Habib Mohammed, Abdul Hussien, Yesuf Ahmed and Abdi Nuur are among the detained.

Colonel Mohammed Ahmed, Chief of the Movement admitted that many people have been arrested in the region and most of them are his relatives. The whereabouts of some of the detainees is unknown, Colonel Mohammed said.

In related News, five Afar people have been killed while 15 were injured in an ethnic fight between Afar and Somali ethnic groups near Awash River. The fight follows an earlier clash a month ago in the same place. The number of causalities within the Hawiya people of the Somali Region has not been known.

ESAT was unable to get the views of the government on the matter. Similarly, although ESAT phoned Abdi Mohammed, the President of the Somali Regional state, to speak to him regarding the cross border attacks by the Somali Regional militia, we were unsuccessful as he had reportedly travelled to Addis Abeba for a meeting.