Ethiopia arrests 138 suspects linked to Al-Shabaab, ISIS militants

Monday April 20, 2026

Addis Ababa (AX) — Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) says it has detained 138 people it believes were tied to terrorist and extremist networks, alleging the group was preparing violence ahead of the country’s 7th general elections.

In a statement released Saturday, the agency said those arrested were helping organize and sustain armed cells designed to undermine peace and stability and interfere with the electoral process. The detentions, it said, came during coordinated operations carried out in several regions since April 9, using the Ethiopian calendar date cited by the service.

The NISS said the operation was conducted in cooperation with the National Defense Forces, federal police and regional security units.

According to the statement, the suspects were allegedly laying the groundwork for attacks in major cities, including Addis Ababa, by creating secret cells, exchanging intelligence and preparing synchronized acts of violence. The agency said the objective was to destabilize the country, disrupt elections and stir ethnic and religious tensions.

Authorities also alleged that the groups had been accumulating cash, weapons, explosives, radios, SIM cards and other supplies to sustain their activities. The statement said investigators had also uncovered attempts to recruit new members and broaden covert networks.

The intelligence service further claimed that some of those arrested had been trained in Somalia and had established contacts with international extremist groups, including al-Shabab and the Islamic State group.

In addition, the agency accused elements of the network of involvement in human trafficking and illegal trade, saying those activities were used to raise funds while worsening economic disruption and shortages of essential goods.

NISS said the recovered items included weapons, explosives, ammunition and foreign currency that were allegedly meant for use by armed groups.

Ethiopian authorities have repeatedly cautioned about security threats linked to armed and extremist networks as the country heads toward elections, although claims about specific plots are often difficult to verify independently.