![[File] Refugees who fled the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region carry their belongings off a boat after arriving on the banks of the Tekeze River on the Sudan-Ethiopia border | AP](https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/news/world/images/2020/12/24/ethiopia-refugees-flee-ap.jpg?w=1248&h=650 "ethiopia-refugees-flee-ap")
More than 100 people have been killed in a massacre in Ethiopia’s western region of Benishangul-Gumuz. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said the toll is expected to rise.
The country, is home to at least 80 ethnic groups.
The attack took place a day after Prime Minister Aiby Ahmed visited the region. Ahmed has said that those responsible for the attacks should be brought to justice. Wednesday’s attack wasn’t related to the attacks in November, where Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region saw Ethiopian force fight Tigray forces.
Ethiopia has been facing violence between groups in several parts of the country for land and resources. Ethnic tensions have been a challenge for Ahmed’s government for a long time.
According to UN estimates, thousands have had to flee homes due to the clashes since Ahmed came into power in 2018. While it isn’t clear who started the attack, the Belete insisted that they were Gumuz militia members.
The ruling party in the region, the Benishangul-Gumuz Prosperity Party, said “armed bandits” had committed a “horrifying crime”.
“The desire by enemies to divide Ethiopia along ethnic and religious lines still exists. This desire will remain unfulfilled,” Ahmed had tweeted on Tuesday.
