World
Condemning the brutal cross-border raids by South Sudan, which have allegedly killed 208 civilians over the past two months, the Ethiopian government on Wednesday announced a two-day national mourning period. The parliament, while withholding information about the 100 children abducted during the same raids, said the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country and in foreign embassies.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, while claiming that South Sudanese government forces or rebels were not involved in the attacks, assured his countrymen his government would track down the culprits and bring them to justice, writes Al Jazeera. Raids from South Sudan's Murle tribesmen are common across Ethiopia’s western border although earlier attacks lacked the magnitude of the latest offensive.
Estimating the extent of damage caused to life and property, Ethiopia's Communications Minister, Getachew Reda, said the victims’ rehabilitation remained the top priority of his government, notes CNN. He added that Ethiopia, which shares “good relations” with South Sudan, expected the latter’s assistance in tackling the threat. The majority of the victims belonged to the Nuer ethnic group, which settles in three districts of Gambela along the country’s western border. Approximately 60 attackers have been killed in a retaliatory action by Ethiopian forces.
