Ethiopian protests descend into violence

TPLF-owned buses burned 

By ESAT

A 15 – year old was shot and killed by regime snipers on Wednesday in Sodere, a resort town to the east of the capital Addis Ababa. The father told ESAT on the phone that his son was shot and killed for no reason while playing at his house. Protesters have reportedly burnt down farms, factories and other properties belonging to the regime in Sodere on Wednesday.

A prison in Jimma has reportedly caught fire on Wednesday while students of Jimma University held candlelight vigils and protest rallies denouncing the death of hundreds of people in Bishoftu on Sunday at a religious festival.

Video received by ESAT show plumes of smoke arising from the prison and several shots being fired inside the prison.

In Wonji, east of the capital Addis Ababa, a sugar factory was set on fire while the Kuriftu animal farm owned by Ethiopian born Saudi tycoon, Mohammed Al Amoudi was set ablaze.

A gas depot went in flames in Dire Dawa, a major town in eastern Ethiopia. Reports say all main roads leading to the city were closed on Wednesday. Gunfire could be heard in Dire Dawa all day on Wednesday.

In Sebeta and Alemgena, few miles from the capital, reports indicate that protesters burnt government vehicles and two factories affiliated with the regime.

Anti-government protests in Ethiopia escalated after the killing of hundreds of festival goers on Sunday at an annual celebration by the Oromos in welcoming Ethiopian spring.


Deadly protests continue in Ethiopia

By ESAT

At least twenty protesters were killed in the last few days alone in the Oromo region of Ethiopia where violent protests flared up following the massacre of hundreds of festival goers at the Irreecha celebrations in Bishoftu, Debre Zeit.

The Ajo town of west Arsi saw the deadliest protests. Guder and Holeta, where an American, Sharon Gray of UC-Davis, was killed on Tuesday were also the scene of violent protests on Thursday.

In Sebeta, few miles from the capital, protesters set ablaze eleven factories affiliated with the regime in the last few days, police said in a statement on Thursday. Sixty government vehicles were also destroyed by protesters.

A manager of a Turkish textile factory also told the media that 30% of the factory was destroyed.

Government officials confirmed destruction of properties but did not mention the loss of lives. Opposition political parties say over 678 people were killed during the Ireecha massacre while the government insists only 55 people lost their lives in a stampede.

Sponsored Ads