Addis Ababa: Ethiopian intelligence sources say Al-Shabaab is preparing to carry out coordinated attacks in parts of the country, with security agencies monitoring suspected attempts by the group to enter Ethiopia through the Somali region.
According to the sources, the group has identified potential targets and placed members of an elite unit on standby. The sources also said the reported preparations followed Al-Shabaab’s acquisition of sophisticated weapons from an unidentified source. They alleged that some of the weapons may have originated from Houthi forces, although Horn Frequency could not independently verify the claim.
The reports come amid heightened security concerns along Ethiopia’s border with Somalia. The U.S. government currently warns of terrorism risks in parts of Ethiopia’s Somali region and along the Somalia border, noting that Al-Shabaab maintains a presence in Somali towns near the Ethiopian border.
Intelligence sources told Horn Frequency that Al-Shabaab members have made several attempts to enter Ethiopia through Dollo Ado while allegedly posing as refugees. Ethiopian security personnel reportedly detected some of the suspected infiltrators and arrested several people believed to be linked to the group.
The sources said the group may also be considering operations in other parts of Ethiopia’s Somali region and neighboring Oromia, including Bale Zone.
The reported threat has prompted Ethiopian authorities to strengthen security measures along the country’s border with Somalia, according to sources familiar with the security situation.
The reports also come amid regional security concerns following the reported movement of hundreds of Somali elite forces across the Ethiopian border. Horn Frequency previously reported that the soldiers entered Ethiopian territory without the knowledge or consent of the federal government, although that claim has not been independently verified.
Horn Frequency could not independently verify the intelligence assessments regarding planned attacks, the alleged weapons transfers or the reported arrests.
