ADDIS ABABA (KAAB TV) – Ethiopian officials have announced the apprehension of 50 individuals suspected of being members of a clandestine group plotting terror and violence in Addis Ababa, the capital, and its surrounding areas.
According to the task force leading the operation, the group had been “conspiring to perpetuate terror in Addis Ababa and the bordering areas of the Oromia region, after their mission to create chaos and violence in the Amhara region was foiled by the coordinated efforts of regional and federal security forces.”
The task force disclosed that the clandestine group had been operating from bases in Addis Abeba and Menjar Shenkora in the North Shoa zone of the Amhara region, where it allegedly trained a special armed force.
A national-level Joint Security and Intelligence Task Force, which revealed the news, alleged that the group had been collaborating with some followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, using church premises as a center for covert activities.
The statement further elaborated that the arrests were the culmination of a secretive operation following five months of surveillance.
The suspects were reportedly found in possession of various weapons, including snipers, bombs, incendiary materials, currency notes from different countries, bank books, and various documents.
Among those apprehended, Nigatu Gebreyesus, also known as Abraham, was identified as the group’s leader. Additionally, Fasil Getachew and Tewolde Birhan, who allegedly served as the group’s finance, logistics, and resource mobilization officers, were also taken into custody.