Amhara region president resigns amid violence

The head of the restive Amhara region in north-western Ethiopia has resigned amid ongoing violence that prompted a six-month state of emergency to be declared.

Yilkal Kefale led Ethiopia’s second most populous region for nearly two years.

His tenure has been marked by violence as a brutal civil war that broke out in neighbouring Tigray later expanded to Amhara resulting in civilian deaths, accusations of sexual abuse and a humanitarian crisis.

Since April, the region has seen sporadic clashes which earlier this month morphed into widespread unrest. Local militias opposing the federal government’s move to disband a regional paramilitary unit entered several cities and briefly controlled an airport.

An emergency summit of the region’s council in the capital Bahir Dar accepted the outgoing regional president’s resignation and appointed Arega Kebede to replace him.
By Kalkidan Yibeltal