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OGADEN

Swedish man ‘beaten in Ogaden’: brother

A Swedish-Ethiopian politician from Gothenburg has been assaulted on a trip to Ogaden, the restive region where two Swedish journalist were arrested two years ago on suspicion of abetting terrorists.

Published: 15 July 2013 10:57 CEST

A Green Party part-time politician from Gotheburg was detained and beaten in front of his children, the man’s brother told Swedish media on Monday.

“We are aware of a case in which a Swedish citizen was detained and released. The embassy is keeping an eye on the case,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Sara Brandt-Hansen told the TT news agency.

The man has lived in Sweden for almost three decades and is a Swedish citizen. He had returned with his nine children, all born in Sweden, to Ethiopia to visit their native Ogaden region, according to the brother.

The man told his brother on the phone that he had been assaulted and thrown from a moving vehicle by eight soldiers, before being taken to a house where the beating continued.

“He is very badly hurt and is having problems moving. There are no hospitals in the area,” the brother told TT.

“It feels terrible, we are of course very worried,” Green Party Gothenburg chairwoman Åse-Lill Törnqvist said. The local chapter of the party is in touch with the man’s family.

“We’ll see if we can help with anything,” Törnqvist added.

The Ogaden region between Ethiopia and Somalia has been contested for more than a century. Since 1984, the Ogaden National Liberation Front has taken up armed combat with security forces. The Swedish Foreign Ministry (Utrikesdepartementet – UD) advises Swedish citizens to stay clear of the region.

TT/The Local/at

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ETHIOPIA

Swede ‘beaten in Ogaden’ housed at embassy

A Swedish-Ethiopian politician from Gothenburg, assaulted on a trip to Ogaden, has been safely housed at the Swedish embassy in Addis Ababa were immediate arrangements are being made for him and his family return home.

Published: 17 July 2013 07:42 CEST

Dayib Mohamud, a part-time Green Party politician from Gothenburg, was detained and beaten in front of his children, the man’s brother told Swedish media on Monday. Ogaden is a restive region where two Swedish journalists were arrested two years ago on suspicion of abetting terrorists.

Dayib Mohamud landed in the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday along with one of his children.

“They’re now at the Swedish embassy to discuss arrangements for a trip home to Sweden,” his brother Qualinle Dayib told news agency TT.

Dayib Mohamud has lived in Sweden for almost three decades and is a Swedish citizen. He had returned with his nine children, all born in Sweden, to Ethiopia to visit their native Ogaden region, according to the brother.

The man told his brother on the phone that he had been assaulted and thrown from a moving vehicle by eight soldiers, before being taken to a house where the beating continued.

“He is very badly hurt and is having problems moving. There are no hospitals in the area,” the brother added.

The rest of the family, eight children and the mother, were expected to arrive in Addis Ababa by bus on Tuesday evening and plans are being made for the entire family to return home to Sweden as soon as possible.

The Ogaden region between Ethiopia and Somalia has been contested for more than a century. Since 1984, the Ogaden National Liberation Front has taken up armed combat with security forces. The Swedish Foreign Ministry (Utrikesdepartementet – UD) advises Swedish citizens to stay clear of the region.

The Local/cd

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