The National Defense Force (NDF) has brought peace and order into cities and their surroundings in the Amhara Regional State by chasing out the extremist lotter group, according to the State of Emergency Command Post.
The State of Emergency Command Post has given a briefing today on the activities carried out in the first phase and the current security situation in the Amhara region.
Member of the Command Post and Government Communication Service Minister, Legesse Tulu said peace has been restored after the necessary measure was taken against the looter and destructive group that gathered in Bahirdar, Debre Markos, Debre Berhan, Lalibela, Gondar and Shewa Robit areas.
According to him, the NDF and law enforcement agencies of the region have succeeded in restoring peace the cities by clearing the looter group within a short period of time.
The minister stated that the public is outraged by the heinous act of the group, and provided support to law enforcement agencies to carry out their mission successfully.
The society is supporting the defense force in every way by providing food, protecting properties from looter, and opening closed roads, he added.
Legesse revealed that the State of Emergency Command Post has started discussions at different levels to bring lasting peace and identify looted properties to return them to their owners.
He also disclosed that a state normalcy has returned to Gondar, Bahirdar, and Kombolch cities in line with the direction set by the command post and the military operations carried out.
As a result, flights have resumed to the cities.
Government and private service providing institutions in the cities have also more or less resumed operations, the minister said.
Moreover, arrangements were made for local and foreign tourists stranded in Bahirdar and Gondar to return to Addis Ababa, it was learned.
Agreements have also been reached with some who wanted to complete their tour in the cities, according to the minister.
Legesse further stated that efforts have been exerted to repair infrastructures destroyed by the looter group.
The defeated extremist group, which faced a humiliating defeat, has been making futile efforts to hide in some heritage sites and religious institutions, the minister said.
The false information spread by the group that the NDF is engaged in the destruction of heritage sites in order to mislead the public has been thwarted by the defense force and the people.
The people of Amhara have once again demonstrated their strong and unwavering support to the Ethiopian National Defense Force, rebuffing the conspiracy of the extremist and looter group, Legesse underscored.
Recall that the Amhara Regional State had earlier requested that the federal government take measures and enforce law in the region as the situation has become very serious and cannot be controlled by the regular law enforcement system.
Accordingly, a state of emergency was declared by the Council of Ministers and activities have been commenced by establishing a State of Emergency Command Post to implement the proclamation.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency