Latest Updates on Ethiopia, 26 December 2020

1- After the attack of unknown gunmen on the village of “Bekoji” in the Bolen section of the Metekel region in the state of Benishangul-Gumuz in western Ethiopia, and killing of 100 villagers, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the deployment of Ethiopian forces in the state of Benishangul-Gumuz. Five high-ranking security officials who were related to the Benishangul-Gumuz massacre have also been detained by Ethiopian authorities.

2- An Ethiopian Red Cross volunteer stated that 222 people were killed in an armed attack in the western Ethiopian state of Benishangul-Gumuz on Wednesday.

3- According to local media reports, the terrorist attack in Benishangul-Gumuz was carried out by the militants of the Amhara ethnic group.

4- The Ethiopian National Election Commission announced: Parliamentary elections will be held throughout Ethiopia except for the state of Tigray on June 5, 2021. Voting in Tigray will take place after the local government is established in the state and the election process is ready.

5- Clashes between the Ethiopian army and the Sudanese army in the Metema area.
Tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia have risen in recent weeks as Ethiopian militants attacked Sudanese army forces in the Abu Tayyur area near the Metema border crossing and killed a number of Sudanese forces. Although Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has denied any involvement of Ethiopian military forces in clashes with Sudanese military forces and speaks of good Ethiopian-Sudanese relations, the situation remains tense.

6- Clashes in the Konso region of southern Ethiopia have killed 66 people.
According to the Ethiopian Human Rights Committee, at least 66 people were killed, 39 were injured, many homes were destroyed and more than 1,000 people were displaced because of clashes in the Konso region from November 10th to November 21st.