By Nita Bhalla in Addis Ababa

The medical relief organisation Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) has suspended its operations in the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia, following an attack on one of its vehicles in the region.

The attack, which killed one MSF staff member and injured two others, is believed to be the third attack on humanitarian workers in the area in the last 12 months.

The Ethiopian Government blamed the attack on terrorist organisations backed by Eritrea.

The MSF vehicle was travelling from Jijiga to Degeh Bur town when the attack happened on Monday at 1500 local time (1200 GMT).

A group of 10 heavily armed men jumped out of the bush and opened fire on the vehicle 13km north of Degeh Bur.

According to Maney Nicollay, country manager for MSF Belgium, the Ethiopian driver was killed immediately, and the French logistician received two bullets - one to the chest and another to the side of his body.

The third person is believed to have received a superficial wound.

Theft

Ms Nicollay said the armed men stole some things from the vehicle, including the French worker's passport, watch and guitar. They also attempted to take the radio from the vehicle.

MSF workers in Degeh Bur town became concerned when they lost radio contact with the vehicle, and sent out a search team.

They eventually found the car on the roadside and brought the victims back to Degeh Bur.

The French worker, who seriously injured, spent the night in the town, and was then flown to Nairobi where his condition is said to be stable.

Well-organised

There are no indications of who the attackers were. But Ms Nicollay said that the attack was well organised, which suggests they were more than just local bandits.

Yemane Kidane of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack could be the work of one of two terrorist organisations active in the Ogaden region: Al-ittad, an Islamic fundamentalist group or the Ogaden National Liberation Front, a separatist organisation.

He accused Eritrea of supporting both these terrorist groups.

"By targeting foreigners, these groups, who often co-ordinate their activities together, believe they will get more publicity than just killing Ethiopians," he said.

But Ethiopian Government spokesperson Salome Tadesse says that the area is safe and that these incidents are few and far between.