In a major counterterrorism operation, Ethiopian security forces have arrested 82 members of the Islamic State (ISIS) across more than ten cities, including Addis Ababa, Shashamane, and Adama. The coordinated raids were carried out following intelligence reports of growing militant activities within the country.
According to Ethiopian security sources, the arrested individuals are affiliated with the Somali branch of ISIS and are believed to have received militant training in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia. These operatives were reportedly working to expand their network inside Ethiopia by recruiting young Ethiopians and planning terror attacks across various urban centers.
Authorities stated that the group had already established underground cells in several regions and were in the advanced stages of plotting coordinated attacks aimed at destabilizing the nation. The arrests are part of a wider effort by the Ethiopian government to combat the rising influence of transnational terrorist networks operating in the Horn of Africa.
Security officials emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in tackling extremist threats, noting that the situation in Somalia and broader regional instability continues to pose a serious risk to Ethiopia’s national security.
The detainees are currently being interrogated, and further operations are expected as the crackdown continues against ISIS affiliates operating within the country.
