Djibouti designates FRUD militant group as a terrorist organization

On Thursday, Djibouti’s parliament listed the FRUD-Armé militant group, which advocates for greater autonomy for the Afar ethnic group, as a terrorist organization.

The decision by the east African country, came after accusation that FRUD attacked barracks in the country’s north last Friday, killing seven Djiboutian troops.

A spokesperson for the group has since denied involvement in the attack, placing blame on a splinter group.

The armed attack drew immediate condemnation from Djibouti’s friends in the international community.

FRUD was formed in 1991 by merging three Afar groups and launched a rebellion against Djibouti’s Issa-dominated government.

Following a peace deal in 1994, FRUD split into two factions, one of which – The FRUD-Armé – relaunched an insurgency against Djibouti’s government, primarily through small-arms attacks in the larger Obock-Tadjourah-Assa-Gueyla triangle and northern regions of the Dikhil region.

Before last week’s attack, Djibouti officials say the FRUD’s last strike by FRUD came in January 2021, when a policeman was killed.