Hundreds of people were on Friday arrested following a deadly attack on Muslims in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar, a regional official has confirmed to newsmen.
Africa Daily News, New York gathered that no fewer than 20 people were murdered on Tuesday when heavily-armed ‘extremist Christians’ reportedly attacked mourners at the funeral of a Muslim elder while also destroyed properties belonging to Muslim residents.
These allegations were made a local Islamic group who claimed to have interviewed with several eyewitnesses.
The head of the Amhara region’s peace and security bureau, Desalegn Tassew who spoke to correspondents stated that about 373 suspects had so far been arrested ‘in relation to the disturbance that happened in Gondar’.
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The regional leader also went on to also announce that a ban on firearms and other weapons have now been placed pending when all suspects were arrested for questioning.
‘We are making legally accountable members of the security forces and leaders who did not assume their responsibility,’ he said, without proving further explanation.
Africa Daly News, New York gathered that the cemetery where the attack had occurred is just behind a mosque and church and has been the subject of an ongoing dispute between Muslims and Orthodox Christians, who are the dominant group in Ethiopia.
Amhara’s regional government said the violence erupted as people clashed over using stones from the area for burial purposes, fighting over whether the materials were being taken from the cemetery or church compound.
Muslims in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa had on on Friday, staged a demonstration over the Gondar violence as they gathered for a mass iftar a name given to the traditional sunset meal breaking the fast during the holy month of Ramadan which is epxted to come to an end over the weekend.
Africa Daily News, New York
