The United States government has sent experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to find out who is behind the Saturday bomb attack in the capital Addis Ababa, state affiliated media reported.
Quoting United States Under Secretary of Commerce, Gilbert Kaplan, who is on official trip in Addis Ababa, Fana Broadcasting has reported that the United States is sending experts from FBI to help the government of Ethiopia to investigate the Saturday’s incident.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims of the explosion in Meskel Square and their families and wish the injured a quick recovery. Violence has no place as Ethiopia pursues meaningful political and economic reforms,” said, the United States Embassy in Addis Ababa.
So far the federal police of Ethiopia has arrested over 30 plus people who are suspected of the bombing on Saturday in Addis Ababa at the rally organized in support of the reform being undertaken by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The bomb was blasted near the stage where who addressed the gathering was sitting. The video footage shows his body guards and other government officials covering the Prime Minister and walking him out of the stage.
Those arrested and under investigation include Addis Ababa Police deputy Commissioner Girma Kassa and high ranking police officers at the working at the federal police and in Addis Ababa.
Out of the total of 156 causalities of the attack two have reportedly died while the remaining are getting treatment at three different government hospitals in Addis Ababa, according to the ministry of health.
Currently only 43 are being treated at the hospital while the remaining have got treatment for light injuries and sent to their homes.
Four to five million people have attended the rally organized in support of the reforms being underataken by the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, according to the organizers who most were victims of the injustices the country and the ruling party has been criticized for.
Following the incident, the government of Ethiopia has announced that the day of the rally, June 23, will be commemorated annually as a “National Day of Love, Forgiveness and Togetherness”.