#Ethiopia:The fed defense forcea moving into #Jigjiga city, the capital of the Ethiopian #Somali regional state, after attempts to summon the region's Pres., Abdi Illey, to #AddisAbeba failed & reports that he ordered thousands of Liyu Police to move to the city. 📷 @oladmohamed

Update:This came after Abdi sent members of Liyu police to disrupt ongoing meeting by hundreds of Ethio #Somalis in #DireDawa city. As partial result of the threat the city declared a military command post on Thursday. The gathering in Dire Dawa is called to denounce Abdi Illey.

Update: As per a gov source, since Thursday, thousands of members of the Liyu Police were told by Abdi to move into #Jigjiga. He was then asked to come with key members of his cabinet to AA to discuss the ongoing situation. "He declined & the security situation calls for caution"

Update: While announcing the establishment of the military command post, Ibrahim Usman, Mayor of #DireDawa, hinted at tensions between forces who are for and against the ongoing meeting in the city in addition to growing signs of anarchy as reason addisstandard.com/breaking-amid-…

Further Update: AS can't confirm the contents of the message spoken/written in #Somali language. There is no official statement from the federal government communication bureau as of yet. #Ethiopia

https://twitter.com/HarunMaruf/status/1025664769792073728?s=19

Update: Video posted on Rajo, a #Somali region based social media news site, purportedly shows what looked like a possible start of anarchy by what the site called "vigilante group Heego". It's also reporting looting & other forms of chaos in Dhegahbur, Jarar Zone near #Jigjiga.

Update: Looting and vandalism spreading in various parts of the city of #Jigjiga and #Dhegahbur. Residents tell BBCAmharic banks, businesses and various properties are being looted. Several people are also hurt, according to BBC. Pictures collected from various social media

Context matters! Please take time to read AS' in-depth with further links from April 2017.
Analysis: History repeating itself in the Horn of #Africa: Is the crime in #Darfur being replicated in Eastern and Southern #Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia? - addisstandard.com/analysis-histo…

Breaking: Fed. defense forces surround #Somali regional state Pres. Abdi Illey; situation remains tense addisstandard.com/breaking-feder… . The defense forces are also placing what a gov. source said was “key members of his administration,” suspected of incing violence. #Ethiopia #Jigjiga

Update. #Ethiopia

https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/1025785198569553921?s=19

Update: AS learned that there are increased numbers members of the Liyu Police and the #Somali regional state police who have been deployed in and around the "Presidential Palace" of Abdi Illey over night. The fed. army are instructed "not to engage in any hostile activities."

Update: An uneasy calm has returned to the city in terms of military activities; but, looting, displacement, abuses have continued door to door by organized youth group suspected links with the regional administration. Their targets are mostly civilians from other ethnic groups.

Update: Internet is cut off in most parts of the region, but phone lines in some areas of #Jigjiga are restored. Members of the federal army are patrolling few areas but "not enough to protect civilians. We are urging the government to protect us," one resident told AS by phone.

Update: Info. from a gov source indicates it is possible that reinforcement from the federal army may be sent it; "talks with security, intelligence, federal and regional authorities including #DireDawa and #Somali regional state are ongoing to deescalate tense situation."

Good AM #Ethiopia! Latest update: talks that started on Sunday b/n federal & #Somali regional authorities have advanced & may lead to an "amicable settlement",a source tell AS. The talks involve both regional & federal administrative, military, security & intelligence authorities

#Ethiopia: Talks b/n fe. & #Somali region authorities underway after weekend violence leaves trail of causalities...addisstandard.com/news-talks-bet…
⏩Situation remains fluid
⏩Refugees arriving in #Somaliland
⏩Talks lack "clear roadmap"
⏩Demand in AA for info & end of violence

#Ethiopia: The Fed. gov. remained silent & there is neither additional official statement nor reporting by the state owned and/or affiliated media outlets, frustrating some residents of #AddisAbeba who today went to demonstrate in front of the national broadcaster ETV & FanaBC

The violence also left a trail of destruction as groups of youth went on a rampage of looting & vandalism & attack against different ethnic communities living in the region. Deacon Daniel Kibret says 8 EOTC Churches were set ablaze & six priests were killed, some gruesomely.

Update: Patriarch of the #Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) has condemned the recent attack on churches, priests, and civilians in the Ethiopian #Somali regional state et.fanabc.com/english/index.… a total of 7 churches were set ablaze and persists killed in the attack.

Breaking: After two days talks b/n authorities in #Somali regional state & the federal government, the later began deploying heavily armed members of the national defense force & federal police into #Jigjga city and other key cities & towns in #Somlai regional state. Pic: file

Update: Intervention began this afternoon after reinforcement army were deployed by military helicopters in & around #Babile area as of early this morning. The deployment is conducted after Somali region "requested" for it. See AS tweet from y'day as hint

https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/1026042958800400384

Update: As part of the negotiation, fed. army will now be in charge of restoring law & order in the region. Members of the Liyu Police will "restrain" from conducting "any form of operation" while the fed. army's operation is underway, a source close to the matters told AS.

Update: The same source told AS that Abdi Illey, the embattled president of the #Somali regional state, has resigned as part of the negotiations. However, neither the federal government nor the regional state communication bureau confirmed this information as of yet.

Update: Today's event comes as reports of violence, including killings of civilians, looting & displacement continued for the 3rd day, triggering yet another massive humanitarian crisis in the region including #Jigjiga & other key cities & towns in the regional state. #Ethiopia

The Ethiopia Somali News Agency and Universal TV reporting the resignation of Abdi Illey. ttps://estvlive.com/2018/08/06/war-degdeg-ah-madaxweynaha-ddsi-oo-oo-is-casilay/

Proper link to the ESNA estvlive.com/2018/08/06/war…

Brief context: Abdi Iley's resignation as Pres. of Somali regional state is "part of the negotiated settlement" that didn't include him leaving his post as chairman of the Somali People's Democratic Party (SPDP) for the time being. Ahmed Abdi Mohammed (Pic), is his replacement

Pictorial & Bio of Ahmed Abdi Mohamed
-Born in 1986 in Garbo, Fiq region
- Graduate of Dire Dawa and Bahir Dar universities
-Finance chief, Godey
-Former Mayor of Qabridahare town
-Member of the ruling ESPDP party
-Current regional Minister of Finance

Bio credit @HarunMaruf