#ASDailyScoop: Armed group renews commitment to negotiation amid escalating hostilities across Oromia
Addis Abeba – The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) through its spokesperson Odaa Tarbii expressed its “unwavering commitment” to peace and dialogue, and said “its door to negotiation is always open”.
This comes following the collapse of the second round of talks between the armed group and Ethiopian government earlier this week, for which the spokesperson accused the government of trying “to entice the OLA leadership with offers of power and position while failing to address the underlying issues”.
He added despite OLA upholding its commitment to de-escalation during the talks, the regime launched an offensive on its positions in Oromia midway through the negotiations. The government however said “the obstructive approach and unrealistic demands” of the OLA led to the collapse of the talks.
On 20 November 2023, a day before the announcement of the conclusion of the talks without agreement, four civilians were killed amidst a fierce fighting between government forces and the armed group in Sulula Fincha district of the Horro Guduru Wollega zone, Addis Standard reported. Two days later, OLA affiliated ‘Arraata Biyyoolessa Oromiyaa‘ reported the killing of at least 25 civilians, allegedly in a government drone strike, in Chawaka districts of the Buno Bedelle zone.
OLA’s latest expression of commitment to peace came in the backdrop of calls for the continuation of efforts to resolve the five-year long conflict through negotiations. AS
