Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Two al-Shabaab fighters jailed by Ethiopia over terror plot

Must read

Isaac Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzi is an experienced and award winning journalist from Ghana. He has worked for several media brands both in Ghana and on the International scene. Isaac Kaledzi is currently serving as an African Correspondent for DW.

An Ethiopian court has sentenced two people for planning a terror attack on the country in 2014. The two are said to have links with Somali insurgent group Al-Shabaab.

According to the federal attorney general, the two convicts, Bedris Yesuf and Anis Usman, had received training from Al-Shabaab and were also actively engaged in recruiting members and seeking to establish a terrorist cell in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s state-affiliated portal, FANA broadcasting corporate reported that Bedris received a jail term of six years and six months while Anis got a year lesser – i.e. five years and six months of rigorous imprisonment.

Bedris Yesuf is also said to have engaged in a shootout with African Union forces in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, nine years ago.

Ethiopian forces are actively engaged in the fight against Al-Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia. They have recently been reported as pulling out their troops gradually, a situation which security watchers say will further weaken Somalia’s security.

- Advertisement -

Kenya, unlike Ethiopia, has been at the receiving end of Al-Shabaab attacks for the role of its soldiers in the fight against the insurgency. The Westgate Mall and Garissa University attacks are typical cases.

Ethiopia is currently under a state of emergency that was imposed to quell deadly anti-government protests in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

Ethiopia’s security forces recently disclosed the arrest of 98 ‘Eritrean- sponsored anti-peace elements,’ stating that the arrested persons were trying to cross into the country after having received training to execute a mission by Eritrean-based terrorist organizations, Ginbot 7 and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

A senior security official of the Tigray zone is reported to have disclosed that the ‘anti-peace elements’ were arrested as a result of coordinated efforts of the defense force and local residents.

 

Source: Africanews

- Advertisement -

More articles

- Advertisement -

Latest article

- Advertisement -