On Tuesday, Ethiopian security forces announced the arrest of former State Minister for Peace, Taye Dendea, on charges of participating in terrorist activities during his government tenure. The Ethiopian Federal Police stated that Dendea, responsible for maintaining peace, had collaborated with forces seeking to destabilize the country, acting in a manner inconsistent with his role.
The police alleged that Dendea actively worked with groups aiming to undermine national security, criticized the government, and endorsed violence on social media. A search at his residence yielded multiple mobile phones, laptops, iPods, flashlights, various electronic devices, Kalashnikov rifles, and ammunition.
Dendea was accused of involvement in activities targeting innocent citizens, particularly related to kidnappings. His arrest followed his dismissal from the position by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The police linked Dendea to the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), a rebel group engaged in conflict against the government in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
Notably, a recent round of peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) concluded without an agreement, as efforts continue to resolve the more than five-year-old conflict in the Oromia region.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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