Curfew imposed in second city in western Ethiopia

A night curfew has been imposed in Gambella city in western Ethiopia as part of efforts to “control illegal activities”, the authorities have said.

The city was last month a scene of violent confrontations between the government and two armed groups.

The groups - the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and the Gambella Liberation Front - controlled parts of the city for hours at the time in what the former called a "joint operation".

Government forces managed to regain control of the city after intense fighting, with reports indicating at least 40 people were killed.

While officials say calm has returned to the city in the weeks since, the curfew is an indication that things are still volatile.

A night curfew was imposed in another major city in western Ethiopia, Assosa, the capital of Benishangul-Gumuz region earlier this month.

Western Ethiopia has been a hotbed of violence in recent months with growing reports of civilians killed and ethnic minorities being targeted by armed groups.

This article originally appeared in BBC News

Photo: BBC