Ethiopian official reveals death toll of ethnic clashes in Amhara on April 16

CAIRO – 25 April 2021: Ethiopia’s chief ombudsman Endale Haile told Reuters Sunday that the death toll of clashes between Ethiopia's two largest ethnic groups Amhara and Oromo on April 16 is estimated at around 200 victims.  

The clashes took place in Oromiya Special Zone, an area in Amhara with a majority Oromo population, and the town of Ataye.

Further losses include the displacement of 250,000 people from North Shoa Zone in Amhara, 78,000 people from Oromiya Special Zone, and the burning down of 20-25 percent of houses in Ataye.

Ethnic violence seems to be the characteristic of this period in Ethiopia as fighting was initiated by the Ethiopian federal government against the Tigray region in November. That incurred the displacement of 950,000 people. Of those, 50,000 sought refuge to Sudan.

A month later, ethnic fighting occurred in Benishangul-Gumuz region resulting in the death of 200 civilians. That region is resided by two ethnicities that are Amhara and Gumuz, and house the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Similarly, a human rights committee appointed by the Ethiopian government stated on April 21 that a militant group occupied a district in northeastern Ethiopia killing civilians and abducting public employees. The district resided by 25,000 people where the incident reportedly occurred on April 19 was not named by the committee.  

It is noteworthy to mention that elections are scheduled for June but it is not certain if they will be held on time given they were postponed last year due to COVID-19 outbreak.