The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) have threatened to cut off a major highway that links Ethiopia to Kenya, following conflict happening in Ethiopia.
The main rebel group in Ethiopia allied with the proscribed Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said they had mounted an offensive that could block that could block the main highway from Moyale, the only modern border post between Kenya and Ethiopia, which was only launched last December.
OLA and TPLF were designated last June as terrorist organisations by the Ethiopian government. The two rebel groups announced inking a military alliance to overthrow a sitting government in Addis Ababa. They also in Addis Ababa downplayed the announced alliance saying it is not a surprise to the Ethiopian government.
Fighters are rapidly advancing on the western and southern fronts of the Oromia region. In the southern front where the Ethiopia-Kenya highway passes through, the rebel group claimed to have controlled the entire Gujji zone and parts of the Borena zone bordering Kenya. As the OLA fighters pushed deeper to take full control of the Borena zone, the militant group claimed that it has now reached close to cut-off the Ethiopia-Kenya road.
Trans African Highway project
OLA is using blockage of key roads, including those leading to the Amhara region, as its military strategy. If taken over, it will be the first time the conflict in Ethiopia would directly affect Kenya, Ethiopia’s neighbour to the south and could directly affect trade with Nairobi.
OLA reportedly took control and shut down three major supply corridors that link Oromia region with Amhara region, where another rebel group, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is battling with government and allied regional forces and militia units.
The 500-kilometer road, which is also part of the Trans African Highway project, was inaugurated on December 9, 2020 by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The road has allowed landlocked Ethiopia an additional access to ports. Ethiopia has for decades been highly dependent on neighbouring Djibouti for its maritime trade. Construction of the major road corridor was also intended to bring an economic integration between the two neighbours and the region at large.
