Clashes between Ethiopian troops and militiamen in the Amhara region have killed at least 183 people, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, providing the most comprehensive independent death toll so far in the month-long conflict.
More than 1,000 people have been arrested across the country, many of them reportedly young people from the Amhara ethnic group, under a state of emergency the government decided to respond to the violence, the UN added in a statement.
An Ethiopian government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The conflict has been fueled by accusations among many in Amhara, Ethiopia’s second most populous region, that the government is trying to undermine its security. The government denies the allegations.
Government forces recaptured key towns and cities across the region earlier this month after initially being driven out by militiamen, but the conflict has continued.
“With federal troops reasserting their presence in certain towns and Fano militia reportedly retreating to rural areas, we call on all actors to stop killings, rapes and other abuses,” the UN statement said.
A view of part of the city of Lalibela in Amhara Region, Ethiopia, January 25, 2022.REUTERS
At least four people were killed in fresh fighting that erupted in the town of Debre Tabor on Sunday, two doctors said.
The fighting took place about a week after Ethiopian troops entered the city, one of the doctors said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
One of the doctors said he had seen the bodies of four people killed in the fighting and many wounded, including his father-in-law, who he said was shot in the chest by unknown gunmen near his home.
Another doctor said at least seven people had died – three civilians and four police officers, who were fighting to support the army.
Reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva and Dawit Endeshaw in Addis Ababa; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Aaron Ross and Nick Macfie
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
