Ethiopia has arrested 82 suspected Islamic State militants who allegedly received training in a neighboring country and were dispatched to various regions within the country.
The detentions, which took place in Addis Ababa and the regions of Oromia, Amhara, Somali, and Harari, were facilitated by community members who aided authorities.
The National Intelligence and Security Service stated that the suspects were part of Islamic State’s Somalia affiliate, operating in the semi-autonomous Puntland region. Investigations are currently ongoing.
The Islamic State faction in Somalia has grown significantly, boasting an estimated 700 to 1,500 fighters, thanks to an influx of foreign fighters and increasing revenues.
However, it remains smaller than the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militant group, which controls large parts of southern and central Somalia.
The US military has conducted periodic air strikes against the group, recently intensifying strikes since President Donald Trump took office.
Meanwhile, Puntland government forces have captured significant territory from IS since launching a major offensive in December.
