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German authorities raid group that allegedly aims to overthrow Eritrean government

Police have been executing raids in six German states that are directed against a group that allegedly “is part of an international network whose aim is to overthrow the government in Eritrea.”

Kirsten Grieshaber

Wednesday 26 March 2025 09:59 GMT

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EU-Germany-Eritrea-Raids ((c) Copyright 2023, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten)
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Police were executing raids in six German states Wednesday against a group that authorities say “is part of an international network whose aim is to overthrow the government in Eritrea.”

Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office is accusing 17 suspects of founding or being members of the German branch of Brigade N’Hamedu, which it defines as a terrorist organization.

The prosecutors said the investigations “suggest that the suspects assumed senior positions” within the group. The German offshoot has been active since at least 2022 was involved in violence at events connected to the Eritrean government.

The office said the organization coordinated violent riots at the so-called Eritrea festivals in Giessen on 20 August 2022 and in August 2023 as well as the seminar of an Eritrean association in Stuttgart in September 2023. Numerous police officers were injured at both events, some of them seriously.

Prosecutors also say that some members of the association considered violence against German state institutions and police officers to be legitimate.