Ethiopian Prime Minister Office has confirmed the release of 21 students of the Dembi Dolo University who were taken hostage by gunmen in Oromia State, APA can report on Sunday.
Speaking to state television late on Saturday, the Prime Minister’s Press Secretariat Head, Nigusu Tilahun said 13 female and eight male hostages were released following continuous negotiations in which elders and officials of the Ministry of Defence were involved.
According to the head, they were taken hostage while returning home after 16 universities in Oromia and Amhara regional states were forced to release over 35,000 students due to the unfolding ethnic-based clashes on their campuses.
The other six students are still held hostage by the gunmen, said Nugusu who did not mention whether the negotiations were held between the government and the kidnappers.
The government has set up a special team in charge of overseeing and stabilizing the conflicts in university ground besides deploying members of the federal police on the campuses.
Late on Saturday, the management of the university and Ministry of Science and Higher Learning Institutions said they are following the case and communicated the matter to the security forces.
In a recorded statement released by the state broadcaster late on Saturday, the President of the Dembi Dolo University Dr. Leta Tesfaye said he is not sure if the students were taken hostage given that the incident took place outside the campus.
Nigussu said the rescue operation was successful as no harm was inflicted on any of the captives released.
The government did not disclose what measures are being taken against their captors.
MG/as/APA