APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Hundreds of ethnic Amhara have been arrested over the past few days in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.
This comes amid reports that security forces has killed 300 prisoners who were accused of being sympathetic to the ‘Fano’ armed force which is currently fighting government troops in Amhara region.
The targeted ethnic Amharic arrest has continued in Addis Ababa, Adama and Bishoftu cities, APA can report on Sunday.
According to information reaching APA, over four thousand ethnic Amhara have been arrested in the capital since the declaration of state of emergency last week. Thousands others have been detained in the country’s Oromia region.
On Friday, the Command Post – a body that is overseeing the implementation of the state of emergency – confirmed that it has made arrests but announced only the identities of about 25 of them.
One of them is a member of parliament – Christian Tadele- who was taken from his home around 10 p.m. local time. Kassa Teshager, Addis Ababa City Council member, was arrested on the same day. The parliamentary immunities were not lifted when they were arrested.
Menen Haile, spouse of Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, a veteran military leader is also in the list of prisoners whose names the command post made public.
The government claims that the arrests are made in connection to the security problem in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. However, the government did not confirm that tens of thousands are taken to makeshift detention centers – mostly schools without adequate food.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration declared a state of emergency last week after the Fano forces took control of many towns in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Airlines flights to Gondar, Lalibela, Bahir Dar and Komolcha were initially suspended due to the security situation in the region. This week the command post ordered service to be resumed as of Thursday.
To reverse Fano’s military advance, Abiy Ahmed’s administration had to mobilize mechanized divisions of the Defense Force and the Republican Guard. The government is making claims that it has fully controlled the cities that were under the Fano forces. However, reports from local sources indicate Fano is still active in many towns in the region.
MG/as/APA