Ethiopian police said they have killed 23 members of a rebel group which is accused of massacring at least 100 civilians on different occasions over the past three months in the Metekel Zone of Benshangul Gumuz region in western Ethiopia.
Residents of the zone, however, told local media that the regional police did not exterminate the actual perpetrators but those young people suspected of aiding the insurgents in the region
Ethnic based attacks against ethnic Amhara men remain high in different zones of Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region and Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) is blamed for sponsoring the attacks.
“A joint force consisting of members of National Defence Force and Federal Police took measures against 23 anti-peace elements in Metekel Zone of Benishangul Gumuz region,” the command post in the Metekel zone said on Friday in a statement.
The command post in the Metekel zone said that the culprits were killed while preparing to perpetrate another round of atrocity against civilians in the region.
According to the Benshangul Gumuz Communication Office, the offenders have been killed in multiple operations held in Mandura, Dangur and Guba districts of the region.
Operation will be continued until all the perpetrators are brought to justice, the command post said.
Similarly police in Oromia Regional State in central Ethiopia said they have arrested 469 members of the OLF-Shene insurgents who are fighting to topple the central government.
Commander Tariku Diriba, Head of North Shoa Zone Police Department said the police killed 12 OLF-Shene members and seized 100 rifles and more that 27, 000 bullets from the suspects.
MG/abj/APA