According to the Council, a group of 285 laborers from the Gardula and Ale Zones in Southern Ethiopia region were kidnapped by “extremist armed groups” in the Amhara region while traveling to work on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Ltd., a private company that subsequently signed an agreement with the Labor and Social Affairs Office of Derashe District located in Gardula Zone to hire employees for the tree-cutting tasks. Based on this agreement, a total of 285 laborers, comprising 246 individuals from Derashe district and 39 individuals from Ale Zone, were assembled and provided with 6 public transportation buses by the organization to travel to the worksite while reaching the Amhara region. However, upon reaching the Amhara region, the group of 285 laborers was kidnapped on the road by “extremist armed groups” operating within the region, the council said. In response to the incident, the Gardula Zone Council has called upon all relevant authorities and parties to work towards ensuring the safe return of the kidnapped citizens to their home villages through peaceful means.
