At least nine persons have been killed and dozens others wounded on Saturday at about midday in Moyale town of Oromia region, a border town crossing between Ethiopia and Kenya, after federal security forces fired on civilians, according to the state-owned Oromia Broadcasting Networks (OBN). Jawar Mohammed, US-based Oromo activist suggests that the actual number is higher. He said 13 people have been confirmed dead, quoting hospital sources. Several arrests were made, according to reports. A resident of the town, GD Jirmo, who is a social worker and community monitor with Danish Refuge Council, told Ethiopia Observer that the incident occurred when two motorcycles collided on the highway and the two young men riding them started exchanging strong words that turned into a fight and people in the area gathered. Then soldiers in a military vehicle passing through started shooting indiscriminately, he said.
One victim was Temam Negesso, the principal of Medo Migo School, killed while crossing the road from the school to his home, according to the residents. “He was first shot on his thigh and fell to the ground. When he tried to get up and run, he was again hit by another bullet and died instantly. Temam was 34, and married to Keria Ahmed. The couple has a child and they are expecting a second one.
The command post established to oversee Ethiopia’s state of emergency has a different version of the event saying that a military unit team, commanded by a Capitan, was dispatched to Moyale area to fight the Oromo Liberation Front elements trying to sneak into the country. However, as result of incorrect information, five members of the team, fired on the residents of the town and killed nine and wounded 12. The Captain and the five members were disarmed and are under investigation, it said.