Ethiopia Foils Attack on UAE Embassy in Addis, 15 Suspects Arrested

Thursday, February 04, 2021

Ethiopia's Republican Guard during a training session. Ethiopia has arrested 15 suspected members of a terrorist group for allegedly planning attacks on the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa.

Amanuel SILESHI | AFP

Xinhua News Agency

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia has arrested 15 suspected members of a terrorist group for allegedly planning attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy in Addis Ababa, local media Ethiopian News Agency and Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported on Wednesday.

EBC reported that the 15 suspects had taken orders from a terrorist group based in a foreign country to conduct an attack on the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa, with the objective of damaging the Ethiopian capital city's image.

The 15 suspects were arrested in a sting operation jointly undertaken by the Ethiopia Federal Police Commission, Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), and other Ethiopian security organs.

EBC reported that scores of heavy weapons, explosives and documents were seized during the operation to capture the 15 suspects.

The broadcaster also reported that the NISS, working in cooperation with its Sudanese counterpart, foiled another attack planned by the terrorist group on the UAE embassy in Khartoum.

The report did not disclose the identity of the terrorist group allegedly behind the plot to bomb the UAE embassies in Addis Ababa and Khartoum, nor the possible motive behind the planned attacks.