Congratulations on the anniversary of the founding of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
On 15 August 1984 — over 40 years ago — the ONLF was established to fight for the independence of the Somali Region (Ogaden) from Ethiopia. Since then, it has struggled for four decades for the rights of the Somali people in the Ethiopian-occupied Somali Region.
The ONLF has consistently advocated for Somali rights, Somali culture, the well-being of Somalis, and unity among all Somali clans.
In 1995, the ONLF initiated a peaceful independence referendum. The Tigray-led Ethiopian regime blocked it and invaded the Somali Region from 1995 to 2018, establishing the notorious prison camp known as Jail Ogaden, which severely affected the livelihoods of thousands of Somalis.
Even when Ethiopia invaded Somalia in 2006, the ONLF fought alongside Somali forces against the Ethiopian invaders. It shot down Ethiopian helicopters heading to Somalia and attacked gas sites in the Somali Region.
More recently, when Ethiopia signed the illegal MoU with Somaliland, ONLF leadership under Abdirahman Mahdi opposed the agreement and reaffirmed its support for a united Somalia.
The ONLF also enjoys
significant support among Eritreans. Both the ONLF and the Eritrean EPLF fought against the Derg regime of Ethiopia, and later against the TPLF’s wars on Eritrea, the Ogaden, and Somalia. As a result, ties between Eritrea and the ONLF grew stronger. Eritrea became the only country in the world to support, train, and fund the ONLF’s struggle from 1995 to 2018.
Thousands of ONLF fighters lived in Eritrea almost as citizens. They left Eritrea after the 2018 Ethiopian-Eritrean peace agreement, when Abiy Ahmed launched peace talks with the ONLF.
Today, the Ethiopian regime has rendered the peace agreements with both the ONLF and Eritrea obsolete, prompting Eritrea and the ONLF to renew their ties. In the summer of 2026, an ONLF delegation led by Abdirahman Mahdi traveled to Asmara and Khartoum to strengthen relations with Eritrea and Sudan.
The ONLF also joined the Tsimdo gathering in Port Sudan during the same period.
Overall, the ONLF continues its long struggle for the rights and self-determination of the Somali people of the Ogaden.