Explosion hits Ethiopia PM rally

An explosion has shaken a rally for Ethiopia’s new PM Abiy Ahmed which was being attended by thousands of people in Addis Ababa. several people had been hurt but still no death toll repoted.

Mr Ahmed was taken away by security personnel immediately after his speech, which he gave in the Ethiopian capital’s Meskel Square.

Mr Ahmed became prime minister after his predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn unexpectedly resigned in February.

The Addis Standard news website quoted a police officer as saying it was a “minor explosion” and “only a few were hurt”.

Mr Abiy is the country’s first leader from the ethnic Oromo group, which has been at the centre of nearly three years of anti-government protests that have left hundreds of people dead.

Many of the protesters have complained of marginalisation.

The Ethiopian government has been accused of human rights violations including torture and extrajudicial killing of political dissidents.

Goobjoog News