A telegram channel with over 460 thousand followers shared the news on March 31, 2014, claiming that Al-Shabaab was attacking Ethiopian military forces on the Ethiopia-Somalia border.
However, HaqCheck inspected the post and proved that the video was old and didn’t support the claim.
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The conflict between Al-Shabaab and the Ethiopian government has its roots in the complex political dynamics of the Horn of Africa region, particularly in Somalia. Al-Shabaab, a militant Islamist group, emerged as a significant player in Somalia’s political landscape in the mid-2000s. Initially, it aimed to oust Ethiopian forces from Somalia, viewing them as invaders. Ethiopia, on the other hand, intervened in Somalia to support the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and to counter the influence of Islamist groups like Al-Shabaab.
The relationship between Al-Shabaab and Ethiopia is characterized by animosity and sporadic confrontations. Al-Shabaab has carried out numerous attacks on Ethiopian security forces, and civilians. These attacks are often retaliation for Ethiopia’s military involvement in Somalia and its support for the Somali government.
Ethiopia, for its part, has conducted military operations against Al-Shabaab both within Somalia and along the Somali-Ethiopian border. These operations aim to degrade Al-Shabaab’s capabilities and prevent the group from launching cross-border attacks into Ethiopian territory.
Al-Shabaab and the Ethiopian government fight is part of the broader struggle for control and influence in the Horn of Africa. It is intertwined with regional geopolitics, ethnic tensions, and socio-economic factors. Efforts to resolve the conflict require a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of instability in Somalia and the wider region. This includes addressing governance issues, promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and addressing the grievances of marginalized communities that are vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups like Al-Shabaab.
So based on our investigation the video used in the telegram post doesn’t support the claim. On February 14, 2024, a press release was given by The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Taye Atseke Selassie, expressing his deep sorrow for the damage caused by the Al-Shabaab attack on the government of Somalia.
HaqCheck did an investigation regarding recent updates related to the al-Shabaab attack on Ethiopian soldiers but found out that the telegram channel didn’t mention any sources for the news.
However, HaqCheck investigated the post and found that the video was previously shared in 2019 on the Reddit social media platform with the title “The compilation of an extremely brutal IED attack on a Somalia force by Alshabab in 2019.”
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Because of these reasons, HaqCheck rated the post as False.
