• The Amhara region says 5 civilians have been shot dead by armed men in Benshangul-Gumuz region

Armed ethnic Gumuz has killed five ethnic Amhara and injured four others in Benshangul-Gumuz, where ethnic violence cost hundreds of lives this year, a regional official said.

The victims, who had been sheltered in Almo refugee settlement for weeks, were on their way to cross into the Amhara region, loading their properties on a truck, according to Ayenew Belay, the Amhara region administrator’s advisor. Ayenew told the Amhara Mass Media Agency that the attack occurred in the village of Kota, located in Dangur woreda of Metekel Zone on Saturday evening. He said the four people with gunshot wounds are being treated at Pawe Hospital.

In a related incident, stones were thrown at the federal army members who were involved in the transport of corpses of the dead this morning and in a retaliatory measure, one other person was killed and three others wounded, according to Ayenew. Six members of the armed forces have been also been wounded, he said.

There has seen a surge in a conflict in recent months in the region with a pattern attack and counter-attack.