More than 20 civilians are known to have been killed in what appears to be an ethnic attack west of the capital of Ethiopia over the weekend.
The killing happened in Nonno district, 300km (185 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa.
“More than 20 people have been killed, four injured,” local official Werkina Furgasa told the BBC.
He and local residents blamed the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) for the attack.
Ethnic Amharas are said to have then retaliated against Oromos living in the area, causing further deaths, destruction of property and displacement.
Police said federal and regional forces have been deployed to contain the situation.
In another incident, three local officials were killed in the same area over the weekend, which the ruling Prosperity Party blamed on the rebel group.
The OLA, which has made an alliance with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), denies involvement in both attacks, saying: “We condemn any attack targeting civilians.”
The TPLF has been fighting government forces in the northern Tigray region since last year. The war has expanded to other regions risking a full-blown civil war in Ethiopia.
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SOURCE: BBCNEWS
