Ethiopia rejects allegations its forces massacred civilians as the West urges an investigation

Ethiopia is dismissing allegations its soldiers massacred dozens of civilians last month in the restive Amhara region

Ethiopia’s government on Thursday dismissed allegation its soldiers massacred scores of civilians last month in the country's restive Amhara region as the West is demanding an investigation into the killings.

A rebellion broke out in Amhara — Ethiopia’s second-biggest province — last year when the government moved to dissolve regional forces and absorb them into the federal army. Later, rebels captured several towns across the region before retreating to the countryside.

Rights monitors have documented a range of human rights abuses by government forces during the conflict, including alleged extra-judicial killings.

Ethiopia’s state-appointed human rights commission says at least 45 civilians were killed by troops in the Amhara town of Merawi following clashes with a local militia in January. Another national rights body put the death toll at over 80. Both organizations said the killings included shootings that occurred during house-to-house searches.

Government spokesperson Legesse Tulu on Thursday told the local language service of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that there was fighting in Merawi but insisted the military “did not target any civilians."