Ethiopia: Native Officers Refute Al-Shabab Working in Oromia’s Bale Zone, Posing Safety Threats

Addis Abeba — Native officers have denied a report that al-Shabaab is working within the Bale zone of the Oromia area, and that it killed a number of zonal cops and militiamen.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Fee (EHRC) in 130-page, National Inquiry Into Persons Deprived of Liberty report launched on 21 March 2024, indicated that the safety challenges in Bale Zone, embrace “the formation of a terrorist group known as al-Shabaab in Bale Forest by foreigners skilled in Kenya, Somalia, and Uganda.”

The report, which analyzed rights violations associated to deprivation of liberty in 4 areas between April 2018 and April 2023, referenced assistant commissioner Jeylan Aman, head of the Bale Zone Police, and stated “the group recruited members and offered them with fight coaching,” including that “a number of zonal cops and militiamen had been killed by the group, in opposition to which the police took measures in response.”

Nonetheless, assistant commissioner Jeylan Aman instructed Addis Customary that there was no al-Shabaab group working within the Bale zone. He asserted that no civilians or members of the safety forces had been killed by the group within the zone, including that he would not know concerning the EHRC report.

Nonetheless, Nata Dhaba, head of the communications workplace of the neighboring East Bale zone instructed Addis Customary that in October 2023, 4 alleged al-Shabaab members had been captured and handed over to the Nationwide Protection Forces, whereas one was killed in motion.

Regardless of rumors of the group working within the border areas of Oromia and Somali areas, Rayitu district of East Bale zone, specifically, “we surveilled the world, and did not discover any al-Shabaab terrorist group to this point, they don’t seem to be there,” the official stated. He additional acknowledged that nobody has been killed by the group within the East Bale zone, and that the group poses no safety menace.

5 districts of the East Bale zone; Sawena, Rayitu, Laga Hidha, Dawe Qachan and Dawe Sarar share borders with the Somali area which shares an prolonged border with Somalia, a base for the al-Shabaab militant group.

It’s recalled that in July 2022, Al-Shabaab entered via the Afdheer zone into the Somali area of Ethiopia after attacking Aato and Yeed cities, the place Somali area Liyu police had been encamped within the Bakool area of southwestern Somalia and bordering Ethiopia.

Earlier in 2001, the Oromia regional authorities revealed the apprehension of a group linked to the al-Shabaab, called ‘Kawarija’ in Dalo Mana district of the Bale zone. The group recruited and encamped individuals for navy coaching whereas getting ready others for related coaching.