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42 killed in crackdown on civilian killers in W Ethiopia


Bangladeshpost
Published : 25 Dec 2020 09:07 PM

The Ethiopian Defense Forces killed some 42 “anti-peace elements” as part of the crackdown on perpetrators of the latest “gruesome” attack that killed at least 100 civilians in Ethiopia’s western Benishangul-Gumuz regional state, local government officials said on Thursday, reports Xinhua.

On late Wednesday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a federal rights group established by the Ethiopian parliament, said in a statement that more than 100 people had been killed in a recent armed attack in Bekuji, Metekel zone of Benishangul-Gumuz region at around 1000 pm local time on Tuesday.

According to the EHRC, the attack was carried out by armed men who set fire and shot at residents while they were asleep. 

The incident revealed “the ever-deteriorating human rights protection in the region,” the commission warned, adding that “attacks have intensified in appearance and scale recently.”

On Thursday, the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional Government Communication Office disclosed that some 42 “anti-peace elements” who are said to be behind the attack on civilians have been “destroyed”, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported.

As part of the crackdown on perpetrators of the attack, a large number of weapons and arrows used by anti-peace forces were seized by the Ethiopian army, it was noted.