The regional president of Ethiopia's Amhara state and his advisor were killed on Saturday during a coup attempt, in which the country's army chief was also shot dead. The coup was orchestrated by Ethiopia's top general, according to a report published with The Guardian.
Ambachew Mekonnen and his adviser Ezez Wasie were shot on Saturday, said Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ahmara, on national television in the early hours of Sunday.
A statement from Abiy's office did not give details on who was believed responsible for the attack. "The coup attempt in Amhara regional state is against the constitution and is intended to scupper the hard-won peace of the region," said the statement.
Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, the head of Special Forces in Amhara, said on Sunday, "Most of the people who attempted the coup have been arrested, although there are a few still at large."
Gunfire was reported from Addis Asaba, the capital of Amhara, by the US embassy. Violence around Amhara's main city Bahir Dar was also reported. "The embassy is aware of reports of gunfire in Addis Ababa. The chief of mission personnel are advised to shelter in place," the embassy said in one of its two alerts.
The coup attempt comes a year after a grenade explosion left two people dead at a rally Abiy was addressing. He has been hailed for his efforts to end the iron-fisted rule of his predecessors, since coming to power in April 2018.
