A court in Ethiopia sentenced 60 members of the Al-Shabaab organization to prison terms ranging from 2.5 years to 18 years.
The condemned al-Shabaab was captured two years ago after they crossed the border between Somalia and Ethiopia, where they fought with local government forces, which led to the capture of many prisoners.
According to the Ethiopian Federal Police, the group was planning to establish a base in the Somali Autonomous Region, taking advantage of the existing security situation.
Ethiopia’s security agencies have revealed that 60 militants, including two senior leaders, were arrested in an operation by the security forces in July 2022 in Afdheer region.
The operation, which lasted for four days, also captured a lot of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, explosives and vehicles.
The court sentenced two of the senior leaders of Al-Shabaab to life imprisonment, while the rest were sentenced to different prison terms based on their involvement.
Also, the Federal Police of Ethiopia has confirmed that investigations are being carried out in six other cases involving 95 people who are suspected of having links with Al-Shabaab.
Ethiopian authorities have said that the threat of Al-Shabaab continues, noting that the group is trying to enter Ethiopia by pretending to be civilians.
