Islamist Rebels in Somalia Threaten to Attack Ethiopia

Hezbal Islam an Islamist rebel movement fighting the Somali government vowed on Thursday to carry out attacks inside Ethiopia targeting military bases and government buildings. According to Sheikh Shuriye Afrah Sabriye, the group’s regional governor of Hiiraan region bordering with Ethiopia, Islamist forces are ready for a big war against Ethiopia, saying the attacks inside Ethiopia are imminent in the next few days, “Ethiopia is responsible for attacks on positions belonging to our forces outside the city of Beledweyn and in retaliation we will attack Ethiopian army bases inside Ethiopian territories, we are committed to do that” he said

He said that in the past several weeks there have been attacks on Islamist positions near the border accusing Ethiopian military of helping the Somali government forces who carried out those attacks on Islamist positions in the region. “The enemy is on the way–we will not to wait for them to come and kill us so we are taking the battle field into inside Ethiopia specially the city of Ferfer where the enemies prepare themselves before they attack us” he added. He said that Hezbal Islam leaders are currently engaged in the final discussions to fix the date and how to carry out attacks in Ethiopia. “For the past several days I have been in Mogadishu for consultations with Hezbal Islam’s commanders and we will soon invade on Ethiopia” he stated during Thursday’s press conference in Mogadishu.

Meanwhile he also declared war on the moderate-Islamist controlled cities of Guri El and Dhusmareb in central Somalia, accusing the moderate Islamist group of Ahlu sunna Wal Jama’a of supporting Ethiopia. The central Galgadud region is currently controlled by the Moderate Islamists with ties to Somali government but was a base for the slain Al-qaeda Boss in Somalia Aden Hashi Ayrow, who was killed in a US air strike on May 1st last year.