Addis Abeba — The residents of Wolkite City, in restive Gurage zone in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) region have resumed regular activities after series of discussions with the city administration and reaching consensus that the SNNP special forces would withdraw the city. Residents told Addis Standard that public and business activities were halted for a week in protest against security forces' crackdown on civilians who were demonstrating peacefully demanding solutions for scarce potable water in the city last week. Six people were killed, and more than 15 were seriously injured when security forces opened fire on protesters carrying empty jerry cans on 15 February. He said the residents have made it clear that the protests would continue unless the government takes responsibility for the deaths and injuries committed by security forces and disclose it to the public. Andinet, another resident of the city told Addis Standard that some activities like schools and government offices have opened on Thursday but they have not been fully operational yet.

Source: Ethiopian News February 24, 2023 07:32 UTC