KEYIR NEWS — The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) announced the arrest of 82 individuals affiliated with ISIS, who were allegedly deployed to Ethiopia for terrorist missions by the Somali branch of the group operating in Puntland.
In a statement sent to the Ethiopian State Agency (ESA), NISS revealed that it had been conducting extensive intelligence gathering and threat assessments concerning ISIS’s efforts to expand its network across Ethiopia and other countries. The Somali wing of ISIS, it said, has been actively working to establish operational cells in Ethiopia.
According to the statement, the suspects were identified through verified intelligence and apprehended in coordinated operations with the Federal Police and regional security forces. The individuals were reportedly trained in Puntland and strategically placed in various cities across Ethiopia.
The arrested suspects are said to have maintained direct links with ISIS, providing financial, logistical, and organizational support to the group’s activities. NISS also reported that the terror cell utilized religious institutions and teachings as a front for recruitment and radicalization, aiming to erode societal cohesion and incite violence.
The suspects were captured in multiple locations, including Addis Ababa, Sheger, Adama, Haromaya, Shashemene, Bale, Jimma, and Shakiso in Oromia; Misi in the Amhara Region; Silte Zone and Halaba Kulito in Central Ethiopia; and Jigjiga and the Harari Region in Somali Region. The service praised the active role of local communities in supporting the operations.
NISS affirmed that it will continue intensified surveillance to track down remaining operatives and called on the public to report suspicious activities to help safeguard national peace and security.