27th June, 2019
The Ethiopian police have arrested 56 members of Amhara political party following failed attempt to seize power in the province, the party’s Spokesman, Christian Tadele, revealed.
Tadele, who is the spokesman for the National Movement of Amhara said the arrests took place in the national capital Addis Ababa.
This, he said, had become increasingly popular among the ethnic group that comprises around a quarter of Ethiopia’s population since its founding in 2018.
The party emerged as a rival to an Amhara party in the ruling EPRDF coalition.
It condemned the violence that took place in the region and denied any link to an attempt to seize power there.
According to reports by Reuters, the police and prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Last Saturday, gunmen shot dead two top military officials in Addis Ababa and three top regional officials in Bahir Dar, the capital of Amhara region, in what the government called a failed regional coup.
Dozens of other people were killed in Bahir Dar in fighting that followed when militia attacked the regional police headquarters, ruling party headquarters and regional president’s office.
The government accused the region’s security chief, Gen. Asamnew Tsige, an Amhara ethnic nationalist, of trying to seize power in the region and was killed by government forces on Monday.