The Ethiopian government has handed down prison sentences to 60 members of the al-Shabab militant organization, with terms ranging from 2.5 years to 18 years. These individuals were captured during confrontations with Ethiopian military forces.
The militants were detained two years ago after crossing the border from Somalia into Ethiopia, where they clashed with local forces from the Somali regional state.
Ethiopian Federal Police reported that the group intended to establish a base within the Somali region, taking advantage of existing security weaknesses in the area.
Among those convicted were two senior al-Shabab leaders, who received life sentences. The rest of the group received varying terms based on their roles and level of involvement in the organization. These arrests were made during a military operation in July 2022, which took place in the Afdheer region of Ethiopia.
In addition, the Federal Police have indicated that investigations are ongoing in six other cases involving 95 individuals suspected of ties to al-Shabab, highlighting the government’s continued efforts to combat militant activities within its borders.