At least 47 individuals have been apprehended by Ethiopia's Joint Security and Intelligence Task Force for allegedly attempting to overthrow the federal government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
These arrests come following the assassination of Girma Yeshitila, who headed the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) in the northern Amhara region. The attack, which took place on Thursday last week, also claimed the lives of four other individuals, accompanying Yeshitila.
"Those who couldn't win with ideas took the soul of our brother Girma Yeshitila," Prime Minister Ahmed said in a statement on social media after the "shameful and horrible" attack. "In a century, where resolving differences in a civilized way has become a culture, trying to convince those who differ in ideas with guns is the ultimate extremism."
Ethiopia's Intelligence Task Force released a statement saying that the 47 people arrested were suspected of being "terrorists" who collaborated with outside forces to depose the country's government.
The statement revealed that the suspects were found in possession of weapons, bombs, and satellite communications equipment.
"The suspects worked together locally and in foreign countries with the aim of taking control of the regional government in order to overthrow the federal government by assassinating senior Amhara officials," the statement read.
According to the task force, these "extremist forces" are also believed to be responsible for the assassination of Yeshitila, a senior government official who was part of the 45-member executive committee of the ruling Prosperity Party.
Yeshitila was recently targeted on social media by activists who branded him as a "traitor" for his close association with Prime Minister Ahmed. Last Thursday, the official, his bodyguards and others were attacked by "irregular forces" as they traveled to Debre Birhan, one of the region's main towns, the Amhara regional government reported.
According to the task force, Ethiopia is currently working with Interpol and foreign security agencies to arrest and extradite other suspects living abroad to face justice.