Somalia Prime Minister lifts terrorist tag from Ethiopian ONLF movement

 

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) on Sunday announced it no longer categorises an Ethiopian freedom movement as a terrorist organisation, rescinding a decision made more than four years ago.

According to a report from Daily Nation, Mogadishu now says Ethiopia’s Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), labelled as a terrorist group since 2017, is no longer seen as such, in a move likely to improve ties between Ethiopia’s Somali region and Somalia.

Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble said the decision was effective immediately, cancelling the tag first issued in 2017 by the then cabinet.

“Such recognition of ONLF as a terrorist entity is hereby abolished, considering the earlier decision as illegal,” the government stated, referring to the council of ministers hitherto chaired by former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire.

Sunday’s FGS’s resolution stated that the extradition of Abdikarim Sheikh Muse alias Qalbidhagah, a senior ONLF official who was handed over to the Ethiopian authorities in 2017 was a breach of the terms of Somalia’s provisional constitution, especially its fourth article and the provisions of the Somalia penal code.

The cabinet reiterated that Somalia has no extradition treaty with Ethiopia, rendering the extradition of Muse to Ethiopia an illegitimate act, according to the council of ministers’ resolution on Sunday.

“Therefore, the federal government of Somalia fully apologises to Abdikarim Sheikh Muse alias Qalbidhagah for the wrong action against him,” the cabinet stated.