The Ethiopian Army chief of staff, Seare Mekonnen, has been shot dead.
Mr Mekonnen was murdered in Addis Ababa, the capital of the East African country, by his own bodyguard.
Speaking on television, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Mr Mekonnen and another policeman died attempting to avoid a coup attempt in the Amhara region.
Also murdered in a distinct assault was Amhara’s regional governor, Ambachew Mekonnen, and an advisor.
The PM said the situation is under control in the area and throughout the nation.
Citizens in Amhara and other areas of the nation have experienced mainly ethnic demonstrations in Ethiopia over the previous few years. The demonstrators marched against totalitarian rule and requested that the nation be democratized.
Mr Abiy has freed political prisoners since last year’s election and removed the ban on political parties with a perspective to ending the country’s political repression.
According to Aljazeera, an Ethiopian government spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, told journalists that a “hit squad” burst into a meeting in the state offices of Amhara’s capital, Bahir Dar, on Saturday and shot regional government head Ambachew Mekonnen and his adviser Ezez Wassie.
The men were “gravely injured in the attack and later died of their wounds,” the official was quoted as saying.
The assault was led by Amhara’s security chief Asaminew Tsige, the official said.
“Several hours later, in what seems like a coordinated attack, the chief of the staff of the national security forces Seare Mekonnen was killed in his home by his bodyguard in Addis Ababa.”
Ms Billene added that also shot dead was a retired general who had been visiting him.
