Int'l Community must Cooperate To Eradicate Threats of al-Shabab: Ambassador Henok

Addis Ababa August 18/2022 /ENA/The International community must cooperate and coordinate efforts to eradicate the danger of al-shabab, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to France said.

In an exclusive virtual interview with Ethiopian News Agency, Ambassador Henok Tefera noted that the international community as a whole should recognize the threats al-shabab causes to the Somalia and to the region, he said adding: "we must cooperate within the framework of IGAD, AU and the United Nations to eradicate these dangers."

“Cooperation and coordination between the different countries must be further strengthened to eliminate the danger, which is a danger for Somalia, for the entire region and beyond,  for the entire international community,” he added.

Terrorism is a global and international threat affecting all countries;  al-shabab has carried out terrorist activities in Somalia and in the region  for a long time, the ambassador elaborated.

“The fight against terrorism is an international challenge because the danger affects all countries.”

Ethiopia has been doing its part in fighting Al Shabab for a long time, the ambassador said, adding  of late, the National Defense Force along the Somali Special Force has caused serious damages on al-Shabab insurgent militants when they attempted to infiltrate into Ethiopian territories through western Ethiopia.

 As Al-shaba is international  terrorist organization, the fight against  this terrorist group calls for regional and international cooperation and coordination among countries so as to reverse the repeated danger. Political and technical support from the international community is essential, Ambassador Henock added.

It is to be recalled that al-Shabaab tried to carry out an attack in the areas bordering Ethiopia and Somalia by infiltrating some of its forces in 16 vehicles and some of them traveling to Ethiopia on foot during dark time.

The Ethiopian Air Force hit selected targets and destroyed the logistics, weapons stockpile and food depots that the terrorist group had planned to use for a long time.

The air strike was also able to destroy 24 leaders of the terrorist group including Propaganda Chief, Fu’ad Muhammad Keleif (Shengole), Abdulaziz Abu Musa, Spokesperson of the group, Ubeda Nur Isse, Head of Al-Shabaab’s Bokol Zone and the Ethiopian borders and among many others.