Abole oil field raid
Encyclopedia
The Abole oil field raid occurred in the early morning of April 24, 2007 when gunmen of the Ogaden National Liberation Front
(ONLF) attacked a Chinese
oil company's premises in the town of Abole
, 30 km (18.6 mi) northwest of Degehabur
, in the Somali Region
of Ethiopia
. 74 people, including nine Chinese workers working for the Zhongyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau under the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), were killed..
The attack shocked the public and many became worried it might push away foreign investors from coming to the country. Most of the Ethiopians killed in the massacre were daily laborers, guards and other support staff. Some members of the Ethiopian security officials were also killed during the surprise attack. It was the largest single attack committed by ONLF.
The Abole attack came just as Ethiopian forces in Mogadishu
were involved in fierce fighting with Somali insurgents.
Ogaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
(ONLF) attacked a Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
oil company's premises in the town of Abole
Abole
Abole is a town northwest of Degehabur, in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. On April 24, 2007 an attack on an oil facility in the town by the rebel ONLF group left 74 people dead, including Chinese nationals....
, 30 km (18.6 mi) northwest of Degehabur
Degehabur
Degehabur is a town in the eastern part of Ethiopia known as the Ogaden. Located in the Degehabur Zone of the Somali Region on the Jerer River, it sits at 1044 meters above sea level. The town is the administrative center of Degehabur woreda....
, in the Somali Region
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. 74 people, including nine Chinese workers working for the Zhongyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau under the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), were killed..
The attack shocked the public and many became worried it might push away foreign investors from coming to the country. Most of the Ethiopians killed in the massacre were daily laborers, guards and other support staff. Some members of the Ethiopian security officials were also killed during the surprise attack. It was the largest single attack committed by ONLF.
The Abole attack came just as Ethiopian forces in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
were involved in fierce fighting with Somali insurgents.