World
14:58, 28-Aug-2018
Ex-Somali region head arrested over human rights abuses in Ethiopia
Updated
14:35, 31-Aug-2018
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Ethiopian security forces on Monday arrested the recently resigned Somali regional state president, Abdi Mohamed Omer, over human rights abuse charges and involvement in ethnic and religious centered conflicts in the region.
Mohamed Omer, who resigned from his post earlier this month after deadly violent demonstrations that rocked the regional capital Jijiga and other parts of the region, was arrested on Monday in the capital city Addis Ababa by the Ethiopian Federal Police forces, state broadcaster Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported.
The former regional head's arrest by police forces came shortly after the regional state council's decision on Sunday to nullify Omer's and six other council member's immunity, attributed to links with the recent violence in the region.
The former regional president was also caught with possession of illegal armaments upon his arrest in his house in Addis Ababa, it was noted.
The Somali regional state has been a hotbed of violent clashes since earlier this month, in which dozens of people were killed as ethnic clashes flared.
Several cities in the region witnessed scenes of deadly violence, forcing the Ethiopian government to use the military to disperse the violent crowds.
The Ethiopian federal government has been recently criticizing the former regional president and his administration over allegations of grave human rights abuses in the region.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, speaking last week, also affirmed that the violence in the Somali region is now under control.
(Cover: Melkadida Refugee Camp in the Somali region of Ethiopia, December 19, 2017. /VCG Photo)
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency