Ethiopia’s federal government has captured Al-shabaab militants smuggling sophisticated ammunition into the country from neighboring Somalia, according to authorities, amid rising insecurity in the Horn of Africa nation.
Special troops from Ethiopia’s Somali region apprehended terrorists who were attempting to cross the border from Somalia’s Gedo region, where Al-shabaab has been gaining ground in recent months.
In the Afdere zone, Elkere District, and Bula Kebele, insurgents were apprehended and it was reported that they were planning to carry out terrorist acts.
The accused were found in possession of 18 boxes of AK-47 ammunition, six RPGs, and two machine guns, among other weapons. It’s unclear who their main aim was, although extremists rarely assault Ethiopia, which shares the country’s longest border with Somalia.
Ethiopian authorities stated last month that they had detained 34 Al-Shabaab militants who were planning a massive strike within the country. The capital Addis Ababa, the Oromia region, and the Somali region known as Ogaden were among the locations attacked.
Ethiopia has recently faced issues in terms of religious violence, with the Ethiopian government saying that adversaries of the Ethiopian state are attempting to use religion as a pretext to perpetrate widespread religious violence in the country.
In addition, the country is embroiled in an interminable conflict in the Tigray region, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of millions more. The confrontation sets Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government against Tigray regional authorities, who have severe political differences with Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is one of the troops contributing nations to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and has close to 4,500 soldiers in the Horn of Africa nation. The ATMIS troops have been fundamental in the fight against Al-shabaab.
The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) man sections of Sector III and VI of ATMIS mainly in Southwest and Jubaland states. Ethiopia had pledged to wipe out the militants in the coming months as the AU forces prepare for inevitable exit from the
Meanwhile, News Central earlier reported that Al Shabaab Militants bombed an AU mission camp in Central Somalia in the early hours of Tuesday.