Ethiopia: 26 people killed in explosion

At least 26 people have been killed in an explosion in the Finote Selam region of Ethiopia amid heavy fighting between government forces and a local militia group, CNN reported.

Finote Selam General Hospital CEO Manaye Tenaw said that another 50 people have been injured in the blast on Sunday, according to CNN report. He said that these victims are only those undergoing treatment at the hospital and the total number of casualties is unclear.

A further 50 people were injured in Sunday’s blast, according to Manaye Tenaw, CEO of the Finote Selam General Hospital. These victims are only those treated at the hospital, and the total number of casualties is unclear.

He further said that the hospital had already treated over 160 people in the days leading up to the explosion, as fierce fighting between government forces and a local militia known as Fano started in the Amhara region earlier this month, CNN reported.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) expressed “grave concern” over heavy fighting between the two groups which erupted on August 3. The fighting between the two groups started following months of tension and sporadic clashes.

The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency in the Amhara region on August 4 after days of clashes, CNN reported.

Differences have emerged between the government and the Fano militia in recent months after the group resisted a move by the federal government to disband regional forces. Amhara nationalists have stressed that the move will jeopardize regional security.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated there was "heavy fighting in and around cities and towns across the Amhara region, which involved the use of heavy artillery resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians," CNN reported.

In a statement, EHRC said, "EHRC has also received credible reports of strikes and shelling including from Debre Birhan, Finote Selam, and Burie resulting in many civilian casualties and damage to residential areas and public spaces."

It further said that similar reports were documented in Bahir Dar and Gondar. The EHRC further said that "widespread arrest of civilians who are of ethnic Amhara origin," in Addis Ababa, according to CNN.

EHRC said, "While heavy fighting has subsided in major urban areas since August 9, 2023, it continues in other parts of the region and remains a major concern until a sustainable solution is in place."

In a statement on Friday, the United Nations "called on all sides to respect human rights and take steps to de-escalate the situation." It further said that “previous states of emergency have been accompanied by violations of human rights."

In a joint statement on Friday, the Australian, Japanese, UK, New Zealand and US government also urged all parties to "protect civilians, respect human rights" and work together to address issues in a peaceful manner.