The Ethiopian spy agency has revealed that the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) was responsible for the recent kidnapping of two South Korean nationals in Moyale, Kenya, who were later handed over to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

The two South Korean missionaries were abducted from their residence in Odda, Marsabit County, around 9:00 PM on August 12.

Reports indicate that the assailants forcibly entered their residence within the Odda Mission Church (OMC) Secondary School compound.

The OLA, which once emerged from a banned opposition party that resurfaced from exile in 2018, has been linked to various criminal activities, including kidnapping, looting, property destruction, and illegal mining.

This information came to light during a meeting between the Kenyan and Ethiopian spy chiefs in Addis Ababa this week.

Both countries committed to enhancing their joint efforts in counter-terrorism as their top intelligence officials met.

The officials agreed to strengthen coordinated operations against regional terrorist groups, particularly the OLA, which has been implicated in a series of violent incidents along their shared border.

Kenya’s intelligence chief, Nordin Haji, led a delegation to meet with Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) head, Redwan Hussien, according to the Ethiopian Press Agency.

The discussions focused on the growing threat posed by the OLA, a militant group that has intensified its activities in the region.

The OLA’s insurgency is driven by longstanding grievances of marginalization among the Oromo people, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, with an estimated population of 35 million.

These issues have fueled the group’s violent actions, complicating efforts by the Ethiopian government to maintain stability in the region.