Police in Ethiopia say they have discovered a mass grave with 200 bodies near the border between the Somali and Oromia regions of the country.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced over the past year by violence there.

Local media reported that the grave was found during a probe into alleged atrocities committed by the former president of Ethiopia's Somali region.

Abdi Mohammed is awaiting trial over allegations he fuelled ethnic clashes.

A notorious regional security force known as the Liyu police is accused of carrying out killings in the area between the Somali and Oromia regions and it reported directly to the regional president.

The police are trying to identify the 200 bodies found.

Mr Mohammed was forced to resign in August and was arrested weeks later after violence broke out in the regional capital, Jijiga.

He is alleged to have overseen widespread rights abuses including torture, rape and killings during his 13-year rule.

Last month the state-linked broadcaster Fana reported that he attempted to escape police custody by climbing through a window ahead of a court appearance.</s>Ethiopia’s state affiliated broadcaster says police have uncovered a mass grave of 200 people in the troubled area between the country’s Oromia and Somali regions.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s state affiliated broadcaster says police have uncovered a mass grave of 200 people in the troubled area between the country’s Oromia and Somali regions.

Fana Broadcasting reported Thursday evening that police were carrying out a court-ordered investigation for evidence of alleged abuses by forces loyal to the former president of the Somali region, Abdi Mohammed, who is now in detention.

The Fana report said that police were granted 14 days to unearth and do forensic examinations on the estimated 200 bodies.

The bodies appear to be related to a series of ethnic clashes carried out by an unofficial militia known as the Liyu that was loyal to the former Somali region leader. In August, Ethiopian officials said the Liyu carried out an attack that killed 41 people.</s>Mass grave of 200 people uncovered in Ethiopia, say police

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's state affiliated broadcaster says police have uncovered a mass grave of 200 people in the troubled area between the country's Oromia and Somali regions.

Fana Broadcasting reported Thursday evening that police were carrying out a court-ordered investigation for evidence of alleged abuses by forces loyal to the former president of the Somali region, Abdi Mohammed, who is now in detention.

The Fana report said that police were granted 14 days to unearth and do forensic examinations on the estimated 200 bodies that have been found.

The bodies appear to be related to a series of ethnic clashes carried out by an unofficial militia known as the Liyu that were loyal to the former Somali region leader. In August, Ethiopian officials said the Liyu carried out an attack that killed 41 people and injured 20 others. Human Rights Watch accused the Liyu of carrying out a brutal and relentless pattern of abuse, torture, rape and humiliation in the region.

Several hundred others were also reportedly killed when ethnic Somalis and Oromos clashed in border areas over claims to land and other resources in previous months.

A number of ethnic-based conflicts have raged across Ethiopia posing the most serious challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since he came to power in April.</s>Ethiopian police investigating the former Somali region president have uncovered a grave containing at least 200 bodies along the border between the strife-torn Oromiya and Somali regions.

The mass grave was found during an investigation of a former administrator of the Somali region who is facing trial on charges of human rights abuses and stoking clashes, the Fana Broadcasting Corporation said late on Thursday, quoting police officials.

It did not give further details.

Abdi Mohammed Omer was forced to resign on Aug. 6 and was arrested weeks later after violence broke out in the provincial capital, Jijiga.

Rights groups have routinely accused his administration of abuses such as torture, while some witnesses claimed he had ordered paramilitary raids on civilians in neighbouring Oromiya province after ethnic clashes there last September.

The region has been plagued by violence for decades as the government fought the secessionist Ogaden National Liberation Front before both sides signed a peace deal last month.</s>Police in Ethiopia have uncovered a grave containing at least 200 bodies along the border between the strife-torn Oromiya and Somali regions, state-affiliated media said.

The mass grave was found during an investigation of a former administrator of the Somali region who is facing trial on charges of human rights abuses and stoking clashes, the Fana Broadcasting Corporation said late on Thursday, quoting police officials.

It did not give further details.</s>A mass grave containing the bodies of some 200 people in the eastern part of Ethiopia have been discovered by police in that country.

The discovery was made during an investigation into Abdi Mohammed, the former President of the Border Region of Somali.

Mohammed is suspected of human rights violations and of being connected to a special police force active in the region that is known to have committed violent acts, state-affiliated broadcaster Fana reported on Thursday.

He is currently in detention. Police said the bodies will be exhumed during the next 14 days. It is not yet clear where the people were from or what happened to them.

Ethiopian officials feared that hundreds of people were killed during clashes between several ethnic groups in the eastern border regions in early August.</s>Police in Ethiopia have discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of some 200 people in the eastern part of the country.

The discovery was made during an investigation into Abdi Mohammed, the former President of the Border Region of Somali.

Mr Mohammed is suspected of human rights violations and of being connected to a special police force active in the region that is known to have committed violent acts, state-affiliated broadcaster Fana reported on Thursday.

He is currently in detention.

The bodies will be exhumed during the next 14 days, police said. It is not yet clear where the people were from or what happened to them.

Ethiopian officials fear that hundreds of people were killed during clashes between several ethnic groups in the eastern border regions in early August.

Similarly, Former Ethiopian Opposition Leader, Birtukan Midkesa, returned home on Thursday, ending eight years of exile, as reconciliation initiated by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, deepens.

Midkesa was greeted at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by senior Ethiopian government officials and hundreds of well-wishers.

Speaking on arrival, Midkesa said she returned after eight years in exile, to support the reform process in Ethiopia and to encourage more women participation in politics.

“Women’s participation in political office and administration is a solution to deep seated patriarchy in Ethiopian society and during my stay in Ethiopia.

“I plan to support women’s political participation to ensure gender equality,” Midkesa said.

Midkesa was a prominent leader of the now defunct Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) opposition group, rising to international profile in the bloody aftermath of the contested May 2005 national elections.

In spite of taking more than 100 seats in the 547-seat Ethiopian parliament, CUD leaders including Midkesa rejected the election outcome, alleging vote rigged by the ruling party Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

Bloody clashes between CUD supporters and Ethiopian security forces in the aftermath of the May 2005 national elections left about 200 people dead and Midkesa was jailed in November 2005, accused of trying to overthrow the government.

Midkesa was pardoned and released by the Ethiopian government in July 2007, but she was jailed again in December 2008, accused of breaking her release conditions.

She was again released in October 2010, and shortly after that she went into exile in the U.S., where she has in recent years kept a low profile, until Abiy came to office in April.

Abiy, who took office on April 2, has been calling for all opposition groups, government critics and others in exile to be part of the country’s ongoing reform process.

His administration has also been implementing measures aimed at creating a nationwide reconciliation, including the release of high-level political prisoners, invitation for Ethiopian rebel groups for talks, as well as the decision to normalise relations with neighboring Eritrea.

Various popular Ethiopian rebel groups such as the Patriotic Ginbot 7, Oromo Liberation Front, and the Ogaden National Liberation Front have since declared ceasefire with the government, and their leaders returned from exile over the past couple of months.</s>Police have uncovered a mass grave containing an estimated 200 bodies in the eastern part of Ethiopia, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting reported Thursday.

Fana said police were carrying out a court-ordered investigation into alleged abuses by forces loyal to Abdi Mohammed, the former president of an Ethiopian Somali region, who is currently in detention.

Authorities have been granted 14 days to unearth and do forensic examinations on the bodies. It is not yet clear where the people are from or what happened to them.

Mohammed has been accused of human rights violations and of being connected to the Liyu, an unofficial militia active in the region who are known to have committed violent acts. The unearthed bodies appear to be related to a series of ethnic clashes involving the militant group.

Ethiopian officials said the Liyu carried out an assault in August that killed 41 people and injured 20 others. Human Rights Watch has accused the Liyu of carrying out a brutal and relentless pattern of abuse, torture, rape and humiliation in the region.

Numerous ethnic clashes have taken place across the East African country, posing a serious challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in April.

Every day, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>The bodies appear to be related to a series of ethnic clashes carried out by an unofficial militia known as the Liyu that was loyal to the former Somali region leader. In August, Ethiopian officials said the Liyu carried out an attack that killed 41 people.</s>The bodies appear to be related to a series of ethnic clashes carried out by an unofficial militia known as the Liyu that were loyal to the former Somali region leader. In August, Ethiopian officials said the Liyu carried out an attack that killed 41 people and injured 20 others. Human Rights Watch accused the Liyu of carrying out a brutal and relentless pattern of abuse, torture, rape and humiliation in the region.
Police in Ethiopia say they have discovered a mass grave with 200 bodies near the border between the Somali and Oromia regions of the country.