63 suspected al-Shabab fighters have been killed in what the authorities in Addis Ababa say was a crossfire as they attempted to infiltrate two villages near the Ethiopian border, APA can report on Monday.
Special forces present in Ethiopia’s Somali region mowed down the insurgents 63 and left many others wounded amid heavy fighting at the border areas, a statement from the regional authorities announced over the weekend.
Information reaching APA indicates that al-Shabab fighters killed 17 people (civilians and Ethiopian police) last week.
Groups linked to the insurgents last Wednesday attacked Yeed and Aato villages after their commander was killed on the Ethiopian side of the border days before they launched the attack.
Al-Shabab claimed it has killed dozens of Ethiopian forces and captured villages.
“Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesperson, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said the group’s fighters had captured the two villages and killed dozens of Ethiopian police officers there. He also said the group seized weapons from the Ethiopian police,” an anonymous source told APA.
Al-Shabab had attempted to attack Ethiopia in the Somali region in the past but had been unable to infiltrate the area until last Wednesday’s attack.
Ethiopia’s intelligence made repeated arrests of suspected al-Shabab members and sympathisers who were allegedly plotting to launch an attack on Ethiopia including in the capital Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia’s Somali region police force made claims that they have seized machine guns and vehicles from the insurgents, as reported by local media.
MG/as/APA