BFF-21 Ethiopian army chief, regional president killed in unrest: PM’s office

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Ethiopian army chief, regional president killed in unrest: PM’s office

ADDIS ABABA, June 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Ethiopia’s army chief was shot dead
by his bodyguard just hours after an attempted coup in Amhara state left the
regional president and another top adviser dead, a spokeswoman for the prime
minister said Sunday.

The spokeswoman Billene Seyoum told journalists a “hit squad” led by
Amhara’s security chief Asaminew Tsige burst into a meeting on Saturday
afternoon, injuring regional president Ambachew Mekonnen and another top
official who both died of their wounds.

Later that evening in what appeared a “co-ordinated attack”, army chief
Seare Mekonnen, and a retired general who was visiting him, were killed by
his bodyguard, said Billene.

BSS/AFP/FI/1404 hrs