Senior Ethiopian defense officials told a visiting French military delegation that the militant group Al-Shabaab has failed to carry out an attack inside Ethiopia despite repeated attempts over the past two decades, according to the Ethiopian National Defense Force.
The remarks came during discussions at the Defense General Headquarters between Ethiopian military leaders and a delegation led by Commander of the French Armed Forces in Djibouti, Major General Sébastien Vallette, who has been visiting Ethiopian defense institutions since 23 June. The talks focused on counter-terrorism cooperation, military training, health services, and technical support, ENDF said.
Citing a briefing presented by the Defense Operations Main Department, ENDF highlighted what it described as Ethiopia’s “remarkable military victory” against Al-Shabaab, attributing the country’s counter-terrorism efforts to “strong psychological preparation, superior physical and tactical competence, as well as coordinated operational execution.”
Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General of the Defense Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation Directorate, said during the meeting that “although the terrorist group Al-Shabaab has made various attempts over the past twenty years, it has never once succeeded in crossing Ethiopia’s border to execute an attack,” according to ENDF.
The outcome was rooted in “strong leadership capability, integrated military readiness and cooperation, the utilization of modern technology, high combat efficiency, strict discipline, and strong public support,” ENDF quoted him as saying.
The army also cited Major General Sébastien Vallette as saying Ethiopia and France maintain a “long-standing, solid friendship and relationship” and thy he “praised Ethiopia’s campaign against Al-Shabaab.”
Prior to the meeting today, the French military delegation also held talks with Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, focusing on “regional security, counter-terrorism, and bilateral military cooperation.”
Source:Addis standard
