More than 100 people have been killed in a massacre along ethnic lines in Western Ethiopia, confirmed the country’s Human Rights Commission on Wednesday. This occured in an incident separate from the ongoing deadly ethnic conflict in Tigray region.
Witnesses and officials claim that at least 102 people were killed in the attack early on Wednesday in the Metekel zone, in Ethiopia’s western region of Benishangul-Gumuz.
The attack occurred a day after the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, visited the region and spoke about the need to bring to justice those responsible for the recent attacks. “The desire by enemies to divide Ethiopia along ethnic and religious lines still exists. This desire will remain unfulfilled,” he had tweeted on Tuesday.
Ethnic tensions in Ethiopia are a grave challenge to the government, with conflicts between over 80 ethnic groups causing instability in the region.
While the attackers were not immediately identified, Belete Molla, head of the National Movement of Amhara political party, claimed they were Gumuz militia members. However, the Benishangul-Gumuz Prosperity Party, the ruling party in the region, said in a statement that “armed bandits” had committed the “horrifying crime.”
