The Ethiopian army brigadier general accused of leading a failed coup against a regional government was killed in a firefight with security forces, a spokesman for the Ethiopian prime minister's office said Monday.
Ethiopian forces had been hunting down Brig. Gen. Asamnew Tsige since soldiers loyal to him on Saturday attacked a meeting of the Amhara government, killing the regional governor and his adviser. That attack was followed hours later by an assassination in Addis Ababa of the chief of Ethiopia's military, a retired army general, by a bodyguard. Separately yesterday, the attorney general of Amhara died from his wounds after being injured in the attempted putsch, state media reported.
The attempted coup in Amhara is the latest challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was elected last year as a reform-minded young leader. Turkey strongly condemned Sunday's coup attempt against the Amhara regional government in Ethiopia. "We are deeply saddened with the passing away of the Chief of General Staff of Ethiopia as a result of an attack carried out in Addis Ababa, linked with this coup attempt," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry conveyed "condolences to the friendly people and the government of Ethiopia." The statement also stressed that Turkey is against all attempts to unlawfully change elected governments and expressed support to Ethiopia in the wake of coup attempt.
