A Somalian news outlet, Mareeg.com, reported on yesterday midnight, citing unnamed residents and officials, that:

‘hundreds of fresh Ethiopian troops have on Saturday crossed into Somalia to join the ongoing regional battle against Al Qaeda-affiliated militants of Al shabab in South-western Somalia.

According to the news, ‘about 50 battlewagons carrying Ethiopian soldiers entered in the border town of Luuqin Gedo region’ on Saturday.

years.

Gedo region is located in western Somalia and bordering Kenya.

If the troop movements reports turns out to be true it could be taken as an indication that Ethiopia finally decided to intensify assault on Al-Shabaab in Southern Somalia.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia indicated in mid-May its plan to launch major offensive against Al-Shabaab strongholds in southern Somalia including Kismayo port. However, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently said that final decisions are not made yet.

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