The authorities in Ethiopia’s Somali regional state have lauded the security of region following operations to maintain law and order in the region.
Speaking to deputy police Commander Col Zakariya Abdi Khalif said the forces succeeded to stabilize all towns under the control of the state.
He confirmed that during the operation the forces managed to seize thousands of weapons and illegal cash within the region.
“The Security forces in the Somali region of Ethiopia captured 3040 guns including 20 machine-guns, RPGs and $10K illegally possessed in operations conducted for last three months,” he said.
The weapons were seized after the region decided to collect weapons illegally distributed in the past and were in private possessions.
The official vowed that the forces will continue operations to restore peace in the region.
The Somali region is the second-largest and has been bedeviled by conflict lasting two decades with the government fighting the rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) that is seeking secession of the oil-rich region.
Early this year, ONLF and Somali regional state signed an agreement to disarm and reintegrate its fighters into the state’s security forces and civil service.
