67 Killed in Ethiopia, 213 More Injured, After Days of Unrest: Police

A high-profile Ethiopian activist, Jawar Mohammed is photographed during an interview, in Addis Ababa on October 25, 2019. – A high-profile Ethiopian activist at the centre of violence that left 16 people dead this week has accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of acting like a dictator and said he might challenge him in elections planned for next year. (Photo by Michael Tewelde / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP via Getty Images)

(ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia) — Police in Ethiopia say 67 people have died in several days of unrest that have led the army to deploy troops to restore calm.

The head of the Oromia Police Commission, Kefyalew Tefera, told the Oromia Broadcasting Network on Saturday that another 213 people have been wounded. He said several people were arrested after attempts to incite violence along religious and ethnic lines.

Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not commented on the unrest that poses the most serious challenge to his rule.

The crisis began when prominent activist Jawar Mohammed told supporters the government had removed his personal security detail. He has since urged calm.

The U.S. Embassy says the new Ethiopia that many want will not be built by those who choose violence and intimidation.