The memorial was held under tight security in Addis Ababa
ADDIS ABABA, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been seen weeping at a memorial for the army chief of staff who was shot dead in an alleged coup attempt on Saturday.
Gen Seare Mekonnen was reportedly assassinated by his bodyguard as part of a plot to seize power in the northern region of Amhara.
Officials say the bodyguard is being treated for his injuries, contradicting an earlier claim that he was dead.
The alleged ringleader of the coup was shot dead on Monday, police said.
Brig-Gen Asaminew Tsige was reportedly killed as he tried to escape from his hideout in Amhara’s capital, Bahir Dar.
Tuesday’s memorial service took place at a large venue in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, amid tight security.
Mourners paid their respects before flag-draped coffins bearing the bodies of Gen Seare and Gen Gezai Abera, who was assassinated with him.
Abiy was filmed wiping away his tears while soldiers eulogised the dead men.
In a statement on state media on Monday evening, Ethiopian federal police apologised for having earlier said that the alleged assassin, Gen Seare’s bodyguard, had killed himself.
The latest statement from the police said the bodyguard, who has not been named, was being treated for gunshot wounds in hospital. It is not clear if the injuries were self-inflicted.
The attack on Gen Seare and Gen Gezai on Saturday came hours after gunmen in Bahir Dar killed the governor of Amhara, Ambachew Mekonnen, along with two senior officials.
The government described the events as a co-ordinated attempt to seize power in the northern region. State officials told local television on Monday that Brig-Gen Asaminew had been present at the killing of the governor.
Abiy has urged Ethiopians to unite against “evil” forces set on dividing the country.
The weekend’s assassinations represent the biggest challenge yet to his year-old government, which has undertaken sweeping reforms to the security apparatus.
While details are still unclear, news of Gen Asaminew’s alleged bid for power was not a surprise for some Ethiopians.
He was a member of the Amhara, the country’s second largest ethic group. He had a reputation for hardline ethnic nationalism and had previously called for the Amhara people to have greater autonomy.
This month, in a video on social media, he openly advised the Amhara to arm themselves. He had been serving as Amhara’s regional security chief and was said to have a significant following among young people.
He was among a group of high-ranking military officers released from prison early last year when the government moved to free political detainees in response to public pressure.
The general had been in custody for nine years for allegedly plotting a coup.
Gen Asaminew also had a bad relationship with the regional government of neighbouring Tigray province. The government claimed that Gen Seare and Gen Abera had been killed because they came from the minority Tigray ethnic group. — NNN-AGENCIES
