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Several people were killed, wounded and abducted due to violence in Amhara region, North Shewa zone Ephrata and Gidm Weredas and Kemise. The violence included an attack on churches, and it was extended to areas of Ataye, Majete, and Kara Kore.
A resident in Ataye which is located 270 KMs from Addis Ababa said that an armed group started an attack Saturday afternoon, and residents of the area got difficulty to go outside of their houses.
Amhara communication bureau on its Facebook page said that “armed group organized by Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) opened a gunshot and killed four people last Saturday. ” The bureau added one of the victims was a civilian, and the rest were members of security forces.
OLF on his side denied the critics of Amhara communication office. Claimed that it has no militant group in the areas of North Shewa and Kemise. “Our movement is a political movement; there is no force under our command.” OLF spokesperson Tolera Adaba told DW. He blamed the Amhara Nationalist Movement (ANM) for the attacks. Contrary to the spokesperson, Aba Geda Beyene Senbeto during reconciliation process of ODP with OLF couple of months ago said that “OLF army resided in areas of Kemise, North Shewa, and Kereyu.”
ANM, on the other hand, blames OLF because the militants were holding OLF logo. “it seems like [OlF] is covering up its crime blaming a political party which has no military force.” said Christian Tadele spokesperson of ANM.
Things controlled since the National Defence Force took over the area. The Force Northern wing commander told state media EBC yesterday that, the crash happened between two armed groups organized by security officials in different scales within the government. The force said the range of the damage is still under investigation.
The mayor of Ataye told FBC that the crash happened between the armed group And residents of the area. He confirmed that nine people killed, many wounded and three abducted due to the attack since last Saturday.
Demonstration held on Monday in Debre Berhan which is the capital city of North Shewa zone and expressed their anger due to the attack in their area.
The president of Amhara Regional state Ambachew Mekonen expressed his grief for the damage. He promised to restore the peace working together with local elders, and regional and federal security institutions.
PM press secretary Nigusu Tilahun with investigative team visited Ataye yesterday and said that the peace of the area is relatively restored, but still ‘people are on the shock.’ he assured that people involved in this terrible violence would come to the law.
