The unrest stems from efforts by the Sidama ethnic group, the largest in the southern region, to establish a new semi-autonomous state a project that has put them on a collision course with the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.announced Monday that soldiers and federal police will take over security in a restive southern region following days of violence that has left at least 18 people dead.
Ethiopia is already partitioned into nine semi-autonomous regions. The constitution requires the government to organise a referendum for any ethnic group that wants to form a new entity within a year of them requesting it. In its statement, the government said security had deteriorated and the southern region was plagued by “strife, destruction, displacement and robberies”.
“Twelve people from the community were killed and 19 were injured,” said the official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to reveal casualty totals.In Yirgalem, around 40 kilometres south of Hawassa, two people died out of 10 who were admitted to the local hospital, said Gudura Funte, the hospital’s head.
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