Travel Guide |
August 8, 2006


Army officers killed in Ogaden buried in Debre Zeit


The Mi-172 is a passenger version. It is intended for transportation of 26 passengers.
The Mi-17 Helicopter can be configured to provide significant firepower capability. When equipped with the armament pylons, the Mi-17 can carry a wide range of guns, guided and unguided missiles, and a variety of bombs up to 500 kg. (Photo: kazakhelicopters.com)


DEBRE ZEIT, Ethiopia – Twenty-six officers from the Ethiopian Defense Ministry who were killed when Ogaden rebels shot down their MI-17 transport helicopter were buried in Debre Zeit recently, sources said.

Captain Girma Teka, a veteran Air Force fighter pilot was flying the helicopter when it was brought down by volleys of fire shot by an anti-aircraft unit of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) near Gaba Gabo, a hamlet 70 km northeast of Qabri Dahar town on July 18. So far, the dictatorial regime in Addis Ababa has said no word about the deaths, which reportedly included eight high-ranking officials of the Defense Ministry.

Ogaden Online was the first media that broke news of the downing of the transport helicopter. The site often reports about activities of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a front fighting for independence from Ethiopia.

The Ogaden region has been a long time hotspot of armed conflicts between Ethiopian and Somali forces. At present, Ethiopian tyrant Meles Zenawi has deployed troops in the central Somali town of Baidoa on what the dictator said was to protect the interim Somali government from a takeover by Islamist militias.

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