Oganed rebels deny government claim on chemical capture.

October 20, 2009 (LONDON) -- The Ethiopian rebels in the Somali region dismissed claim by the Ethiopian government on capture of 3.7 tonnes of chemical belonging the Ogaden National Liberation Front)(Somali:  (ONLF). The state-run Ethiopian Television (ETV) displayed on October 17 the seized chemicals and other related materials, which police said were uncovered at the remote eastern region of Somali's Daforqalt local area, where it was kept buried. Police said some 7,ooo bullets of various types and with a potential of producing 1,850 explosives were among the unearthed from the ground. However in a statement released the rebel group denied the claim saying it was invented by government "to hide its war crimes in the Ogaden and confuse the international community." The ONLF further accused the Ethiopian army of killing eight civilians in the village of Waraarka Garbodiimo village near Babile Town on 17 October 2009. According to the ONLF website, the army wounded many others who were attending a wedding ceremony. The ONLF is founded in 1984 by the ethnic Somali people of Oganden advocating the right of self determination of the region. It is also member of the Ethiopian Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD). (ST)

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