Ethiopian forces killed 'at least 45 civilians' in January massacre: state-affiliated rights body

Ethiopian government security forces kill 45 civilians in Amhara state, prompting calls for investigation and dialogue.

Ethiopia's government security forces killed at least 45 civilians in a massacre in Amhara state in late January, the independent state-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said Tuesday.

A statement said the EHRC had confirmed "the identity of at least 45 civilians who were extrajudicially killed by government security forces" in the town of Merawi for allegedly supporting an ethnic Amhara militia known as Fano.

"However, it can be assumed that the number of victims is even higher," it underscored.

At least 15 other people, including women, were killed during a door-to-door search by government forces in a different part of Amhara earlier in the month, the EHRC said.

The killings in Merawi followed months of clashes last year between Ethiopia's military and Fano and prompted the United States last week to call for an investigation.

According to the EHRC, security forces also rounded up and arrested an unknown number of people in Merawi on suspicion of being members of Fano.

AFP has sought comment from the federal government in Addis Ababa but has not received a response.