Ex-chief of Ethiopia’s Somali region ‘arrested’

BBC

The ousted governor of Ethiopia’s Somali regional state has been arrested by the federal army, regional state-owned ESTV website reports.

“Officials from Ethiopia’s Somali region told the Ethiopian Somali region media that Abdi Mahmud Omar who resigned yesterday [6 August] as a governor, was arrested by Ethiopia’s federal military,” the website reported.

“Officials from the Somali region in Ethiopia have confirmed to us reports of the arrest of Abdi Mahmud Omar,” the report added.

Mr Omar resigned from his post as a governor on Monday and Ahmed Abdi Sheikh Mohamed was appointed to replace him.

There has been insecurity in the region since 4 August after the federal army was deployed to help end a bout of ethnic tension that has killed thousands and displaced more than a million people.

The deployment led to a standoff with the regional authorities and sparked protests by residents, which reportedly resulted in the death of dozens of people.