Foreign Nationals, Terrorist Groups Lining up with Al-Shabaab To Destabilize Ethiopia Killed: Security Task-force

Addis Ababa August 8/2022/ENA/ The Peace and Security Task-force announced today that foreign nationals, TPLF and Shene terrorist group fighters who were fighting alongside al-Shabaab to destabilize Ethiopia had been killed during the measures taken to maintain the peace and security of Ethiopia.

The task force said that remarkable activities have been carried out the previous month to ensure peace and security at the national level.

It is to be recalled that the task-force has reviewed today the national security situations based on the threats identified in the previous months and the recommendation put forward to taking law enforcement measures against terrorist and armed groups for maintaining the peace and stability of Ethiopia.

The Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser Redwan Hussein said that foreign fighters, TPLF and Shene terrorist militants who had fought alongside al-Shabaab were killed by the Ethiopian security forces. 

“In the measure taken by the security forces, the terrorist groups of Shene, TPLF and citizens of other countries who lined up together with al-Shabaab were destroyed,” according to the adviser.

It is noted that more than 800 militants of the terrorist al-Shabab group have been killed including top leaders of the terrorist group, according the statement the National Defense Force made on Friday. The terrorist Al-Shabab group which tried to infiltrate through Eastern Ethiopia from 21 July 2022, was  successfully thwarted by the joint efforts of the security forces.  

Redwan recalled the attempts that threatened the rights of citizens to live in peace and to destabilize  the peace and security of the country.

“Al-Shabaab's attack in the eastern Ethiopia was not only self-initiated rather many forces were behind it where citizens of different countries participated in the attack. Likewise, there was an attempt in which members of the TPLF and Shene involved from within the country and foreign nationals, whose citizenships are not Somalis, also involved in the attack,” Redwan indicated.

According to him, “it has been confirmed that the citizens of neighboring countries as well as some citizens of  western countries also involved.

The security adviser believes in this regard that the recent attack against Ethiopia was an orchestrated attempt which has constituted a geopolitical interest and efforts to undermine Ethiopia's effort  not exercise  its policy independence.

Recalling the attempts that threatened the citizens' right to live in peace in  the country in the past, Redwan pointed out that this is an attempt to systematically disrupt Ethiopia's efforts to develop its natural resources.

Minister of Government Communication Service, Legese Tulu  said on his part the activities have been carried out against the irregular armed groups in identified areas with a view to  protecting the peace and security of the citizens.

The terrorist Al-Shabab group which tried to infiltrate through Eastern Ethiopia was beaten back and suffered humiliating defeat, he underlined.

Major General Birhanu Bekele, Head of Information Main-department at National  Defense  Force said following the direction set by National Security Council, remarkable jobs have been done to achieve peace in Ethiopia.