Ethiopia’s air force bombs towns in Somalia in a revenge attack

The attacks by Al-Shabaab in Eastern Ethiopia left dozens of soldiers from the Somali regional state dead while the militant group suffered heavy losses.

News Keydmedia Online
31 July 2022

HUDUR, Somalia - Ethiopian military jets conducted an airstrike in Somalia, the 2nd raid since Friday, July 27 in "self-defense" after Al-Shabaab attacked the country twice this month.

The ENDF warplanes flew from Godey, a city in the Somali Region of Ethiopia bombed Garasweyne, 45 kilometers away from Hudur, Bakool regional capital on Saturday.

The missiles struck residential villages and left several unarmed civilians, including a Somali mother identified as Fadumo Hussein while several others were badly injured.

The air raid was carried out a day after heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters stormed Liyu police bases in Ato town on the Somalia-Ethiopian border on Friday, killing soldiers.

The ENDF’s offensive is aimed at averting more terror attacks as the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab shifted its focus on Ethiopia, taking advantage of ongoing internal conflict.

The group claimed to have killed more than 100 Liyu police soldiers in two attacks within a week in Afdhere, Ato, Yeed, and Washaqo, a claim that Addis Ababa disputed.

The airstrikes come as Somali army chief Gen Odowa Yusuf Rage along with federal lawmakers are visiting the Bakool region. It’s unclear if there are aware of the operation.

Last week, the president of the Somali regional state in Ethiopia Mustafe Cagjar announced that they will create a security buffer zone in Somalia for protecting their nation from Al-Shabaab.

Ethiopia is facing a new front from Somalia by Al-Shabaab as the country has been struggling to contain internal conflict among the communities and the TPLF threat.

Addis Ababa has more than 10,000 of soldiers in Somalia, including non-ATMIS forces operating under a security deal. There are accused of committing atrocities against the civilian population.

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