Top intelligence officials from Ethiopia and Kenya have vowed to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, particularly the threat posed by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
During a meeting in Addis Ababa, Kenyan intelligence chief Gen. Nuredin Mohammed Haji and Ethiopian NISS chief Redwan Hussien discussed ways to prevent and counter the ongoing activities of terrorist groups in the region.
The OLA, which operates along the Ethiopia-Kenya border, has been implicated in a series of criminal acts, including kidnapping, looting, and destruction of property.
The group’s actions are motivated by grievances related to the marginalization of the Oromo people, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.
In response to the escalating threat, Ethiopia and Kenya have agreed to launch joint operations to curb smuggling, illegal arms trafficking, and the illicit extraction of minerals.
Additionally, the intelligence chiefs expressed their support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan.
Meanwhile, a separate incident in southern Ethiopia has resulted in the deaths of 13 people, including five civilians.
Unidentified assailants carried out a three-day attack in the Segen district, targeting police officers and civilians.
The attackers have since fled the area, and security forces are conducting operations to apprehend them.