MOGADISHU (Mareeg)—More Ethiopian troops have been deployed near the Somali border in Gedo region in western Somalia, witnesses and officials said on Thursday.

Reports from the region say Somali soldiers are accompanying the Ethiopian forces who were deployed near the border.

Residents say the Ethiopian troops made military movement and operations in Sufka area in the border between the two countries.

It is not known the reason behind the movement of the Ethiopian troops, but Islamist rebels control towns near the Ethiopian border with Somalia.

Sheikh Salman, an Islamist official from Hizbul Islam rebel group in the region says they had information about the Ethiopian troops and added that the Ethiopian soldiers were aiding “Somali militias”.

“We know that the Ethiopian soldiers are in Sufka settlement and are escorting Somali militias to attack the regions controlled by the Mujahideen,” said Sheik Salman.

A Somali government official, who requested not to be named, said they were planning attacks against the rebels to reclaim region under the control of the Islamist rebels.

Ethiopia denied that it was aiding Somali pro government militias to fight against the Islamist rebels.