Authorities of the Oromia Regional State dismissed reports about the abduction of three Chinese nationals by the rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in western Ethiopia.
In an official letter it released Sunday, OLF which calls itself Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) said it detained three Chinese nationals involved in a mining operation in Mendi, west Wellega Zone in Oromia region.
OLA released the letter along with photos of the Chinese hostages who were working there as mining workers. Elias Umeta, administrator of the west Wellega zone, rubbished OLF’s claim stating no foreign national has been taken hostage in the zone.
According to the administrator, no investment license was given to Chinese nationals to engage in mining extraction.OLA did not mention the name of the mining company which the Chinese nationals work for and their responsibilities.
Neither the government nor the Chinese embassy in Addis Ababa commented on the matter.
