The violence in Ethiopia

Etiopisk militär anklagas för massmord på civila

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. AP  

 

The violence in Ethiopia 

Ethiopian military accused of mass killing of civilians  

 

Ethiopian soldiers have killed more than 70 civilians and looted homes in the unrest-torn province of Amhara. This is claimed by several witnesses according to The Guardian. 

 

It must have happened in the small town of Majete, which was captured by the military on September 3 after two weeks of heavy fighting against the Fano militia.  

 

- As soon as the federal soldiers moved into the city, they searched house after house, says 29-year-old Yeshnayesh, whose two younger brothers are said to have been killed.  

 

The Fano militia and the military were allies during the war in the neighboring region of Tigray, which ended last November. Last month, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced he would disband paramilitary forces in Amhara – but Fano refused.  

 

On August 4, the government announced a six-month state of emergency. Since then, violent fighting has taken place in the region.  

 

Amhara militiaman and villager. Stringer / AP 

 

Three journalists arrested during the state of emergency  

 

Three journalists have been arrested in Ethiopia since the government declared a six-month state of emergency on August 4 due to unrest in the Amhara region. This is stated by the press freedom group CPJ according to Voice of America. 

 

"Once again, Ethiopian authorities are targeting journalists at a time when the public needs access to varied reporting on an ongoing conflict," said the group's spokesperson Muthoki Mumo in a statement.  

 

Among other things, the exceptional permit gives the government the opportunity to arrest people without an arrest warrant from a court. 

 

The unrest and fighting in Amhara began when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that he would disband paramilitary organizations in the region.