Ethiopia ethnic violence: 239 killed during riots

The death toll from demonstrations and ethnic violence that erupted in Ethiopia last week following the murder of a famous singer from the Oromo ethnic group has risen to 239.

Popstar Hachalu Hundessa, a hero to many Oromo who saw him as the voice of their marginalization, was shot dead by unknown attackers on Monday of last week, fuelling ethnic tensions threatening the country’s democratic transition.

Protests broke out in the capital Addis Ababa, as well as the surrounding Oromia region, which is the homeland of the country’s largest ethnic group, who have long felt economically and politically sidelined in the diverse nation.

Officials have attributed the deaths to a combination of lethal force by security officers and inter-ethnic violence.

‘Due to the unrest that occurred in the region, nine police officers, five militia members, and 215 civilians have lost their lives,’ acting Oromia police commissioner Mustafa Kedir said on state television on Wednesday.

Police in Addis Ababa had previously reported ten deaths in the capital.