Head of the Prosperity Party, Amhara region branch, Girma Yeshitila has been shot dead in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in an online message said that the party official was killed by violent extremists who believe that he shouldn’t have a different idea.
Yeshitila was the figure of the government’s controversial decision to abolish the regional special forces and reorganise them into the national army, federal and regular police.
According to the regional government, Yeshitila was among the five people killed in an attack on Thursday afternoon as they were heading to one of Amhara’s main cities.
The group was travelling from Mehal Meda to Debre Birhan when the attack happened in Guasa locality.
Yeshitila was killed in the North Shoa area of central Ethiopia.
Who is Girma Yeshitila?
Yeshitila until his death was the head of the office of the Amhara Prosperity Party.
He served as an executive member of the ruling party.
He is a member of the Prosperity Party’s 45-strong executive committee,
He was often called a traitor due to his close relationship with Prime Minister Ahmed.
What the Regional Government is Saying
Meanwhile, the regional government has issued a statement concerning the assassination.
The government said “irregular armed forces” are behind the killing and that Yeshitila was killed in the area where he grew up.
It vowed to take decisive action and bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.
Also, the regional government accused the unidentified perpetrators of having a mission to demolish the regional state.
Earlier in April, Amhara was the scene of unrest with various protests over controversial federal government moves to dismantle regional forces and integrate them into the national army or regional police.