The chief of staff of the Ethiopian army, along with three others, was killed in a failed coup.

Gen. Seare Mekonnen was shot dead by his own bodyguard Saturday while coordinating a response to the political coup in the nation's Amhara region. According to CNN, a faction of political rivals led by Brigadier General named Asaminew Tsige has been identified as the culprit of the coup.

The current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has garnered international recognition for reconciling the political relationship with neighboring nation, Eritrea. However, his year in power has already been met with two failed coups.

"A similar attempt was committed last year in June but we successfully overcame it," Ahmed said in a press conference. He was targeted in a grenade attack at a rally in 2018.

Two high-ranking officials in the region, President Ambachew Mekonnen and Amhara Regional Government Office Advisor Ezez Wassie, were assassinated during the skirmish on Saturday. Another general, Gezai Abera, was also killed by the same bodyguard who killed Seare Mekonnen, the BBC reported.

"The coup attempt in Amhara regional state is against the constitution and is intended to scupper the hard-won peace of the region," a statement from the prime minister's office read.

"This illegal attempt should be condemned by all Ethiopians and the federal government has full capacity to overpower this armed group."

Ahmed said in a press conference Saturday that the failed coup was not "committed by any ethnic group but by ill-motivated individuals." The man in question was Tsige, who was a political prisoner just last year. The current administration appointed him head of the Peace and Security Bureau.

Many of the political adversaries has been arrested and order was re-established in the region.

The prime minister called on "all Ethiopians, both armed and not armed" to stand with the government and provide information to "defend the unity of our country."

Lake Ayalew will serve as the region's acting governor as normalcy returns to the country. BBC reports it is not clear if Tsige was arrested or killed for his part in the coup.

Seare-Mekonnen

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