Ethiopia: Eyewitnesses report dozens of dead civilians in attack in Ethiopia

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Photo: EDUARDO SOTERAS / AFP

According to an eyewitness, dozens of civilians have been killed in Ethiopia.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed the attack in the Oromia region on social media, but without citing the number of victims, as the dpa news agency reported.

The Amhara Association of America, citing local sources, told the Associated Press that between 150 and 160 people may have been killed in the attacks.

“Most of the victims are women and children.

They killed everyone they could find," said an eyewitness to the dpa.

The victims are mainly attributed to the Amharic ethnic group.

According to the report, Abiy Ahmed blamed the rebel group Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

Just over two weeks ago, a similar incident occurred in the same region of Ethiopia.

More than 100 people died then.

The authorities also blamed OLA there, Abiy Ahmed spoke of terror.

Demand: more autonomy for Oromo

Ethiopia's government has viewed OLA as a terrorist group since it allied itself with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

OLA and TPLF are accused of trying to destabilize Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The OLA, a splinter group of the political party Oromo Liberation Front, calls for more autonomy and self-determination for the Oromo people.

Dam/dpa/AP