Chief of Staff Seare Mekonen Killed in an Attack

Addis   Ababa July 23/2019   General Seare Mekonen, Chief of Staff of the Defense Forces was killed in an orchestrated attack. The Chief of Staff was shot last night by his own guard.

In a press conference he gave here today, Nigusu Tilahun, Head of Press Secretariat, said the Chief of Staff was shot by his own guard in an orchestrated attack that has linked to the coup attempt in Amhara regional state.

Gezai Abera, a retired member of the Defense Force, who was with the Chief of Staff at the time, was also killed, according to Nigusu.

The attack happened within a few hours after a group attacked the chief administrator and high level officials of Amhara regional state in an attempt to make a coup d’état.

The attack on the Chief of Staff was intended to prevent the military from acting to the failed coup in the Amhara regional state.

It was recalled that the chief administrator of the regional state, Dr Ambachew Mekonen and his advisor Ezez Wase were killed, and attorney general of the regional government, Migbaru Kebede wounded in the attack.

The attack was carried out yesterday at the chief administrator's office in Bahir Dar, the seat for the regional government, when the chief administrator and other high level officials of the regional government were in a meeting.

Nigusu said that the both attacks - the attempted coup and the killing of the Chief of Staff - were orchestrated by Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige, head of the Amhara region security.

Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige was among the thousands of prisoners who were released on amnesty as a result of the sweeping reforms.

Nigusu, who said that the attack was a plan intended to undermine the achievements of the reform and make the region a war zone, said "the plan has totally failed".

Most of the individuals who were involved in the attacks are apprehended and search is being conducted to arrest the remaining perpetrators, Nigusu said.

The defense force, federal police and the regional police are working in collaboration to ensure the safety and security in the city of Bahir Dar and the entire region, he said.