Ethiopia: Authorities arrest over 170 people for inciting violence

ESAT News (August 21, 2018) Authorities in Ethiopia’s restive Oromo region have arrested 171 people accused of inciting deadly violence and ethnic motivated attacks in the region.

Head of political affairs with the regional party, OPDO, Addisu Arega told local media that the suspects were arrested in several towns in the region accused of killings, inciting violence and looting.

Among those arrested were seven suspects of a mob lynching in Shashemene last week. A mob attacked a young man, accusing him of carrying a bomb on his person. The man was then hanged upside down on a utility pole and beaten to death.

The regional police said were no bombs found on him and the car set ablaze by the mob and thought to be carrying explosives belonged to a local government bureau.

Suspects in a number of towns in the region including Burayu, Jimma, Adama, Mojo, Sebeta and Borena among others, were arrested for inciting violence, looting and ethnic motivated attacks. Some were also arrested for carrying illegal weapons and munitions.