Ethiopian, Kenyan intelligence chiefs discuss joint fight against terrorism

By Sadik Kedir Abdu

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Ethiopia and Kenya will do more to work together in counter-terrorism, the top intelligence officials of the two East African countries pledged.

The Kenyan delegation, led by intelligence chief Gen. Nuredin Mohammed Haji, arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Wednesday and met with the neighboring country's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) chief Redwan Hussien, according to Ethiopian Press Agency.

The two sides committed to strengthening coordinated operations to prevent and counter the ongoing threat posed by terrorist groups in the region, especially the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) which operates along their mutual border.

According to the Ethiopian intelligence office, the talks centered on the escalating threat posed by the OLA, particularly its recent kidnapping of two South Korean nationals who were later handed over to al-Shabaab, another terrorist group linked to Al Qaeda.

The office also noted that the OLA, a renegade faction of a previously banned opposition party that returned from exile in 2018, is implicated in a series of criminal activities, including kidnapping, looting, destruction of property, and illegal mining.

The grievances of the armed group arise from claims of marginalization and neglect of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in the country, with an estimated population of around 35 million, according to the Central Statistics Authority.

In response to growing security concerns, Ethiopian and Kenyan intelligence agencies have agreed to launch immediate actions to curb smuggling, illegal arms trafficking, and the illicit extraction and transportation of minerals.

The intelligence chiefs also emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and instability within Sudan, vowing to support efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.