Nearly 200 Somali National Army soldiers who recently completed military training in the Hanaan-buure area have reportedly been detained inside Ethiopia’s Somali Region after crossing the border from Somalia under unclear circumstances.
According to reports from local sources, the troops entered Ethiopia through areas near Shilabo District in Qorahay Zone and neighboring locations close to Wardheer, triggering a response from regional security forces.
The incident has raised questions about how and why the soldiers crossed into Ethiopian territory and whether they had authorization to do so.
Some of the soldiers were reportedly apprehended in Neefkuceshe, an area within Dollo Zone, where members of the Liyu Police intercepted them while they were traveling in seven Toyota Probox vehicles.
The detained troops were subsequently transported to Wardheer, where they are currently being held pending further decisions by the authorities.
Additional groups of soldiers were reportedly detained in the Caleen area of Qorahay Zone.
According to local accounts, those troops were traveling in two cargo trucks and three Probox vehicles when they were stopped by regional security forces.
The exact number of soldiers detained at each location has not yet been independently verified.
The soldiers are believed to be part of a recently trained contingent of the Somali National Army (SNA).
Their training was conducted as part of the Federal Government of Somalia’s ongoing efforts to expand and strengthen its military forces for operations against Al-Shabaab, which continues to pose a major security threat across parts of the country.
The Federal Government has invested heavily in recruiting, training, and deploying new military units in recent years as part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on Al-Shabaab and gradually transfer security responsibilities to Somali forces.
The crossing of Somali troops into Ethiopia’s Somali Region has added a regional dimension to the incident, given the strategic and often sensitive nature of the Somalia-Ethiopia border.
Security cooperation between the two countries has traditionally been important in efforts to combat armed groups operating in border areas.
However, it remains unclear what prompted the soldiers to enter Ethiopian territory or whether they were acting under official orders.
Neither the Federal Government of Somalia nor the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia has so far issued a detailed public statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The development comes at a time when Somalia is intensifying military preparations and mobilizing newly trained forces for ongoing counterinsurgency operations.
The detention of such a large number of soldiers has therefore attracted significant attention from security observers and local communities on both sides of the border.
For now, the detained troops remain in the custody of Ethiopian regional security forces, while authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances of the border crossing and determine what action will be taken regarding the soldiers.
The incident is likely to prompt discussions between Somali and Ethiopian officials as they seek to establish how the troops entered the area and whether arrangements will be made for their return.