At least 100 people were killed in western Ethiopia by "gunmen"

The National Authority for Human Rights reported that more than 100 people were killed in an attack by gunmen, Wednesday, in western Ethiopia, in a new chapter of bloody attacks in the region.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Committee said in a statement, on Wednesday, that "more than 100 people were shot dead in an attack by gunmen, in the Benishangul-Gomez region in western Ethiopia."

Residents of the town stated that gunmen stormed the area around 6 am (03:00 GMT), and that they counted 20 bodies in different locations.

A local medic revealed to Al-Arabiya Network that he and his colleagues treated 38 wounded, most of them with bullet wounds.

"We were not prepared for this, and we have run out of medicine," said a nurse in the same medical facility, adding that a five-year-old boy died while being transferred to the clinic.

An official in the region, who asked not to be identified, indicated that the authorities were informed of the attack and are verifying the details of the identities of the attackers and victims.

The attack took place after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abi Ahmed, Chief of Staff of the Army, Berhanu Gula, and senior federal officials visited the region on Tuesday to call for peace after the region witnessed a number of deadly incidents between rival ethnic groups.

T/S

ANHA