Image copyright Reuters Image caption Political activists from the Oromo ethnic group are believed to be held in the jail

At least 23 inmates have died after a fire at an Ethiopian prison where anti-government protesters are reportedly being held, the government has said. State media, quoting an exclusive statement sent to it from the Government Communications Affairs Office (GCAO), said that 23 inmates had died, among which 21 from a stampede, burns and suffocation, while two were shot dead as they were apparently trying to escape. This East African country has seen months of sometimes deadly protests calling for wider freedoms, while the government has been accused by opposition activists and rights groups of killings, beatings and internet blockages. "The government has a responsibility to explain to the public, no less their families. Families and relatives of prisoners are desperate for answers after Ethiopia’s high-security prison, Kilinto, located on the outskirts, south of the capital Addis Ababa, caught fire on Saturday. There have been numerous protests in the Oromia region by members of the country's largest ethnic group since November 2015.

any Oromo activists are being held at the Qilinto facility, according to pro-opposition media. This is the main cause for the unrest, which, according to the New York-based Human Rights Watch group, has seen at least 500 people killed by security forces since the protests began in November.
At least 23 inmates are killed in a fire and stampede at Kaliti Prison near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia during an attempted jailbreak.