GALHARERI DISTRICT, SOMALIA When the Islamist movement Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) took power in Somalia in 2006, Ethiopia considered it a serious threat because they feared that they would start supporting terrorist groups in their territory. With US support, they sent the army to Somalia, where they succeeded in overthrowing the UIC. It was not a complete success, however, as former UIC members began to form other and often more dangerous terrorist groups. One of them is the infamous Al-Shabaab.
Until 2009, the Ethiopian army was present in Somalia, where it took part in the fighting against these rebel groups. They did not leave with victory, but were defeated by Al-Shabaab. They began to lose control of territory, had huge losses of troops and faced international criticism for human rights abuses in the country. They were alleged to have massacred civilians.
Al-Shabaab had no mercy on the Ethiopian soldiers. Capture meant certain death, which many times was videotaped and used for propaganda purposes, just like the Ethiopian soldiers in this video. One is beheaded and others are executed en masse.