The president of Ethiopia’s Amhara region was shot dead along with his top advisers. On Saturday afternoon, a team led by the region’s security chief Asaminew Tsige attacked the office the president. President Ambachew Mekonnen and other officials were all shot dead. In a similar attack, the army chief Seare Mekonnen was shot by his own bodyguard along with a visitor in the office who was a retired general.
The bodyguard was arrested by the authorities while the security chief Asaminew is on the loose. The killing was made against the attempted coup in Amhara state. Army intelligence is of the opinion that the coup was attempted to divide the military and to create turmoil in the region.
“These tragic incidents, unfortunately, demonstrate the depth of Ethiopia’s political crisis,” said International Crisis Group analyst William Davison. Analysts believe that the episode demonstrated the reality of the political emergency in Ethiopia, where endeavors by PM Abiy to slacken the iron-fisted hold of his forerunners and push through changes have released a rush of agitation.
Since he became the Prime Minister a year ago, Abiy Ahmed has attempted to lead political changes to open up the once separated, security-fixated Horn of Africa nation of 100 million individuals. He has discharged political detainees, lifted bans on ideological groups and arraigned authorities blamed for gross human rights mishandles, yet his legislature is engaging mounting brutality.
Head of Special Forces in Amhara Brig. Gen. Tefera Mamo stated that “most of the people who attempted the coup have been arrested, although there are a few still at large.”
Ethiopia is about to hold national parliamentary election in the coming year. Despite the current adverse situation, opposition groups are demanding to hold the elections on time.