A helicopter allegedly carrying senior Ethiopian government officials has been shot down by Fano militants in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, APA reported Monday.
Fano forces operating in the Gorgora area of the central Gonder zone claimed that they had shot down a military helicopter around 6:45 local time.
It is confirmed that senior federal government officials were on board the helicopter. They had traveled to Gondar to attend a program organized by the University of Gondar. Among them were Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Taye Atske Selassie, Amhara Regional State President Arega Kebede, and Speaker of the House of Federation Agegnehu Teshager.
APA’s effort to get further information on the incident including the causality, specific level of damage to the helicopter, did not succeed.
The Amhara regional state communication bureau said a military helicopter was stationed Gorgora Resort in South Gondar, Amhara region due to “technical problem”.
Witnesses told APA that the skies over Gorgora, Gondar were illuminated by flames as the military helicopter was shot down.
MG/abj/APA