News: Tension mounts in Gambela city over shooting of traffic police officer
Addis Abeba – Tension remains high in Gambela City, the capital of the Gambella region, following a shooting incident on Monday that left a traffic police officer in critical condition.
The attack, which was carried out by armed men, has led to the closure of transportation, banks, and other basic services in the city.
According to a resident who wished to remain anonymous, the incident occurred yesterday at around 10:20 am while the traffic police officer, identified as Chuol Gatkuoth, was on duty in front of the Grand Hotel Gambella.
The resident, who visited the traffic officer this morning, reported that Chuol was shot in the neck and is currently in critical condition, awaiting surgery.
Another resident told Addis Standard that tensions remain high in the city, with rumors circulating about the officer’s death and speculation that the attack was carried out by “Anyuak militants.”
As a result of the incident, basic services, including transportation, banking, and schools, have been closed in the city.
The Gambella region has seen a surge in communal violence since May of last year, following an incident where nine people were killed and 17 others were injured in violence that broke out in Itang special woreda and the capital, Gambella City.
In July 2023, Addis Standard reported that three people were killed and 23 others were injured in an armed assault targeting two public buses near Gambella city.
More recently, in February 2024, Addis Standard reported on attacks carried out by armed militias across Gambella, resulting in the deaths of two people and numerous injuries.
A recent report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) details that at least 138 people have been killed and 113 injured since May 2023 due to clashes between communities and attacks on refugees in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. AS
