Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC Amharic Service, Addis Ababa
Emotional scenes at Ethiopia military chief’s funeral
Religious leaders gather on stage beside coffins covered with the Ethiopian flag during the memorial service in Addis Ababa
This has been a sombre ceremony full or religious and military symbolism. Priests from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church led the prayers, chanting hymns for the departed.
The top brass of Ethiopian military would later line up one by one as they saluted in front of the caskets of Gen Seare Mekonnen and his colleague killed on Saturday.
Throughout Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed held his head in his hands as he shed tears.
As one general broke down while paying his tributes, Mr Abiy reached out to embrace President Sahle Work.
There were tributes from Gen Seare’s son and his colleagues who all described him as a loyal servant.
Hundreds of people turned up here from early morning. The majority were locked out with no space to accommodate them in the large venue.
Gen Seare’s coffin was draped in the Ethiopian flag and will be flown to his birthplace in the northern region of Tigray for burial.
His killing has reignited concerns about the security and stability of a country that only a year ago was on the brink of collapse, following four years of violent anti-government protests. For now, though, Ethiopia seems to be united in grief and mourning.