CRS says 2 workers killed in gunfire in Ethiopia’s Amhara region
Tuesday April 11 2023
Amhara regional forces who were ordered on April 6, 2023 by the Ethiopian government to intergrade into the country's army. Since this order, Amhara region residents on April 9, 2023 reported gunfire in at least two towns, which led to the deaths of two CRS aid workers. PHOTO | EDUARDO SOTERAS | AFP
Aid group Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has said that two of its workers were shot and killed on Sunday in Ethiopia's Amhara region, amid violent anti-government protests triggered by the country’s government decision to disband regional special forces units.
CRS Director of Communications Kim Pozniak on Monday said that the incident occurred in the town of Kobo, where residents reported heavy artillery fire on Sunday but did not say whether the shootings were linked to the unrest.
"Details of the murder are still unknown," CRS said in a statement.
“The victims were Chuol Tongyik, one of CRS's security managers and Amare Kindeya, a driver. They were returning from Amhara to the country’s capital Addis Ababa,” the statement said.
"The depth of our shock and sorrow is difficult to measure and we are saddened over this senseless violence," Zemede Zewdie, CRS's Ethiopian representative said in the statement.
Spokespersons for Ethiopia's government and for Amhara’s regional government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Thousands have protested across Amhara since Ethiopia’s government issued its order on Thursday and residents reported gunfire in at least two towns on Sunday.
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Large protests reported
Residents in the town of Dessie reported large protests there on Monday, with young people blocking the roads and burning tyres.
Amhara politicians and activists have condemned the country’s government order that requires special forces from each of Ethiopia's 11 regions which enjoy a degree of autonomy, to integrate into the police or the federal army.
They say disbanding Amhara's special forces would leave the region vulnerable to attacks by neighbouring regions including Tigray, whose leaders agreed a truce with Ethiopia’s government in November to end a two-year war that killed tens of thousands.
Amhara forces fought alongside Ethiopia’s army in that conflict.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia says the integration of the regional special forces is needed to ensure national unity in a country with a long history of inter-ethnic conflict.
Amhara's regional government on Monday said it had banned protests in Gondar which has seen some of the largest demonstrations and imposed restrictions on the circulation of three-wheeled vehicles there and ordered bars to close by 9pm.