Ethiopian military planes on Friday launched airstrikes on positions held by al-Shabaab inside Somalia.
“The airstrikes, which involved missiles, targeted al-Shabaab’s strongholds in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region,” Somalia’s defense minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has confirmed in a statement.
The airstrikes come after a Somalia- Ethiopia security pact was signed on February 23, 2025.
The Ethiopian government did not comment on the airstrikes but its affiliated media reported the attacks.
The US embassy in Mogadishu recently issued a travel advise to American citizens warning of imminent attacks by the militants with government buildings, the main airport and hotels possible targets.
It comes amid a resurgence in al-Shabaab attacks in central Somalia.
“No airstrikes can take place in Somalia without the government’s knowledge,” Nur emphasised, noting that the Somalia defense force was also involved in the operation.
The minister highlighted the growing security cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia, referring to the Ankara agreement as a framework for their joint efforts against aI-Shabaab.
The airstrikes marked Ethiopia’s first known aerial operation in the region in recent years, following approval by Mogadishu for Ethiopian forces to join the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The operation comes amid an intensified offensive against al-Shabaab, with Somali forces, backed by foreign troops, escalating attacks in Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions during the holy month of Ramadan.
Ethiopia’s involvement follows a thaw in relations with Somalia after months of tension, cemented by the Ankara agreement and a military cooperation deal.
Military leaders from both nations met in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in February, agreed to strengthen joint operations and support Somalia’s security forces in taking full control of the country’s territory.
MG/as/APA