Monday October 21, 2024
FILE PHOTO
Addis Ababa (HOL) – The Ethiopian government has sentenced 60 members of the al-Shabab militant group to prison terms ranging from 2.5 years to 18 years after they were captured during clashes with Ethiopian troops.
The militants were apprehended two years ago after crossing the border from Somalia into Ethiopia, where they engaged in fighting with Somali regional state forces.
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According to the Ethiopian Federal Police, the group had plans to establish a base in the Somali region, exploiting the region's security vulnerabilities. Among those sentenced were two senior leaders of al-Shabab, who received life imprisonment. The remaining individuals were given varying prison terms based on their level of involvement. Ethiopian security forces arrested these militants in an operation conducted in July 2022 in the Afdheer region.
The Federal Police have also confirmed that ongoing investigations are underway in six other cases involving 95 individuals suspected of having links to al-Shabab.