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Ethiopia thanksgiving celebration disrupted by violence

Xinhua, October 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Violence disrupted celebration of the annual Irecha (thanksgiving) festival on Sunday in Oromia Regional Sate of Ethiopia, local media reported on Sunday.

The Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), citing a statement from the Government Communication Affairs Office, reported that the celebration could not be completed as planned due to a pre-planned act of violence by 'forces of violence'.

Loss of lives has been sustained by a stampede caused by those forces, according to the statement.

The government has expressed its deepest condolences over the loss of lives and disruption of the ceremony that came about at a time when efforts were intensified to preserve the Irecha festival and get it documented by UNESCO as a world heritage, the statement said.

The government will provide detailed information on the unpleasant incident and bring those responsible before justice, it said. Endit