Renewed fighting is taking place between Ethiopian army and the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in Ataye town, central part of Ethiopia where unspecified civilians were killed amid the fighting.
Tens of thousands of ethnic Amhara people residing in the town have evacuated fleeing the attack by the rebel army whose members continue to burn down houses, offices and business establishments.
Administrator of the North Shoa Zone Tadesse Gebretsadik Saturday told local media the latest attack has been taking place since Wednesday in a well organized rebel force which overwhelmed the local security forces.
The fighting is taking place between the Ethiopian National Defense Force supported by the Amhara Special Forces against the Oromo Liberation Army which is believed to have the backing of the Oromia Regional State government.
The rebel force has been attacking Ataye town repeatedly right after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018.
The attack came a few days after leaders of Amhara and Oromia ruling Prosperity Party agreed to jointly work to ensure peace at their common border areas and stop such kinds of attacks.
The administrator accused the federal government of turning deaf ears to the requests of the people in the zone to deploy the National Defense Forces army in time in the zone.
MG/abj/APA