The death toll from the conflict in Amhara, Ethiopia could be 200: Official | Ethiopian Stories
The country’s top investigator estimates that up to 200 people have been killed in this month’s violence, up from 50 previously reported.
The death toll from the conflict between Ethiopia’s two largest tribes, Oromo and Amhara, north of Amhara may have risen to more than 200, an official said on Sunday, with at least 50 previous reports.
Citizens and administrators in the Oromia Special Zone, the predominantly Oromo-rich Amhara region, and the town of Ataye say there was a riot on April 16.
“Based on the information we have received from the emigrants, we think that up to 200 people may have died from all these areas, but we still need more,” Endale Haile, Ethiopia’s chief ombudsman, told Reuters news agency.
National elections are due to take place in June and several parts of Ethiopia have been affected political and violent.
Political change after almost three decades of strong government has encouraged local militants, who oppose Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s party to gain more wealth and power in their respective constituencies.
Endale said in the North Shoa region, in the region, about 250,000 people were displaced as a result of the conflict, while between 20% and 25% of the houses were set on fire.
In the Oromia Special Zone, another 78,000 people have fled their homes in the recent war, he said.
Endale said a small town in the same province was completely burnt down in March, but did not specify in detail if there were any casualties in the incident.
Following the violence in Ataye town, Addis Ababa announced a an urgent situation in the southern region of the Amhara state to end violence.
On Thursday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) declared war ruled the province to the west of the country.
The government-appointed body received reports that Sedal Woreda, a Kamashi district of Benishangul-Gumuz region, “had been under military control since April 19”.
In recent months, Benishangul-Gumuz has witnessed other forms of violence, including a December uprising that killed more than 200 people.
This is one of the events of the world of over 100 million people where land, power and economic disputes erupted ahead of the general election.
Earlier this month, more than 100 people were killed on border disputes between Afar and Somalia regions. The two constituencies have criticized private groups for doing so.
In March, robbers killed at least 30 civilians during an attack on a village in Oromia.
