At Least 102 Killed in Massacre in Western Ethiopia After PM Visit

By Staff, Agencies

More than 100 people have been killed in Ethiopia’s western region of Benishangul-Gumuz, in the latest massacre along ethnic lines in the country.

Witnesses and officials said that at least 102 people were killed in the attack early on Wednesday in the Metekel zone.

The attack occurred a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the region and spoke about the need to bring to justice those responsible for the recent attacks.

The attacks are separate from the deadly conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region where Ethiopian forces and allied regional forces began fighting Tigray regional forces early November.

Federal troops deployed in other regions of Africa’s second-most populous nation were deployed to fight in that conflict, raising fears of a security vacuum.

Even before the Tigray war erupted last month, Abiy’s government had been grappling with rising insecurity in many parts of the country.

Violence between groups fighting over land and other resources has forced many hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes following Abiy taking office in 2018, according to UN estimates.

Ethnic tensions are a big challenge as Abiy tries to promote national unity in a country with more than 80 ethnic groups.