Ethiopia has long resisted cross-border attacks by al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab, including by deploying troops to Somalia, where the extremist group controls large rural areas in the southern and central regions of the country. But Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and its security forces have been struggling with domestic unrest, particularly since the Tigray conflict began in late 2020. Experts say al-Shabab, also emboldened by instability under Somalia's previous administration, is seizing the opportunity to expand its footprint and claim responsibility for killing dozens of Ethiopian security forces. Al-Shabab has trained several thousand fighters for its Ethiopian "command", mainly Somalis and Oromos inside Ethiopia, says Matt Bryden. Al-Shabab has long regarded Ethiopia as an enemy because of its long military presence in Somalia to counter the fighters.

Source: Ethiopian News August 05, 2022 17:41 UTC