OLF leaders depart

The Somali National Alliance (SNA) faction of Hussein Aideed says it has now complied with all the provisions of an accord signed in Addis Ababa recently, namely the departure of rebel Ethiopian Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) leaders from Somalia. In a press statement, received by IRIN, the SNA recalled that the agreement signed in October between the Ethiopian government and Aideed contained four points for the Somali side to implement. All the issues - including disarming OLF forces and closing the OLF office in Somalia - had been complied with. The only outstanding issue had been the departure of OLF leaders, and this occurred on 14 December, witnessed by a third party, the statement said. It also named the seven OLF leaders who left "for a third country" via Balli-dogle. The 'Xog-Ogaal' newspaper said the OLF leaders had arrived in the Eritrean capital, Asmara.