Between 27 and 28 August 2026, security forces from Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State reportedly detained a group of Somali troops in the Qoraxey and Doollo zones. The troops were returning to their home areas in Somalia’s South West State after completing a training programme at a camp in Galmudug.
According to the account, the soldiers had travelled through Somali territory to reach the training camp and were returning to their home districts after completing their training. They were reportedly unarmed and travelling on leave to the border districts of Ceelbarde, Yeed and Aato.
These border districts are considered strategically sensitive from a security perspective. They are located near areas where forces from Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State and other Ethiopian security personnel operate. Al-Shabaab militants are also reported to be based less than 10 kilometres from some of the border areas and have repeatedly launched attacks against border communities.
Al-Shabaab’s History of Attacks in the Border Districts
Al-Shabaab has carried out several attacks in Ceelbarde, Aato and Yeed since 2010, when the group reportedly launched its first attack on the town of Yeed. During that incident, a civilian identified as Mohamed Isak was killed. The group also killed the district commissioner of Ceelbarde at the time, identified as Caweer.
In 2014, Al-Shabaab attacked a military camp in Aato occupied by militia forces from the Afder region. The attack reportedly killed more than 40 soldiers and wounded approximately 70 others.
In response, Liyu Police forces launched operations against Al-Shabaab camps in Somalia’s Bay and Bakool regions. According to the account, they captured many of the camps and subsequently handed them over to the Somali government.
In 2022, Al-Shabaab launched further attacks on military positions in Yeed and Aato, killing senior military officers and capturing a camp. The group also reportedly infiltrated Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State with a unit of its fighters, who were later eliminated from within the region, according to the account.
Public Protests Over the Detention of Somali Troops
In recent days, residents of Ceelbarde, Yeed and Aato have reportedly staged protests against the detention of the soldiers, who are said to have been transferred to Ethiopia, specifically to the city of Dire Dawa.
Some residents said they had contributed to maintaining security in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State but would not tolerate the regional administration and the Ethiopian government detaining their young people. They described the detained soldiers as young men prepared to fight terrorism and defend their communities against Al-Shabaab.
The reported detentions have heightened tensions in the border areas, where signs of public mobilisation and growing dissatisfaction have emerged.
Security Concerns and the Risk of Escalation
Security sources who spoke to JijigaNews confirmed the sensitivity of the situation along the border. They stressed the importance of avoiding actions that could provoke a confrontation between border communities and security forces stationed in Somalia’s Bakool region, particularly those operating near the border districts.
The sources warned, in effect, that mishandling the situation could escalate tensions and trigger clashes between local communities and security personnel.
How the Soldiers Reached the Training Camp
According to the account, the detained troops initially travelled through Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State before proceeding towards Galmudug, where they entered a training camp operated by the Somali National Army.
Their subsequent detention while returning from training has become a source of concern among residents of the border districts, particularly given the region’s history of militant attacks and the sensitive security arrangements along the Ethiopia–Somalia frontier.
