Ethiopia pays tribute to slain generals

Addis Ababa: Mourners in Ethiopia paid tribute to two military leaders killed on Saturday during a failed coup, international media reported.

A state memorial was held for Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gen Sea’re Mokonnen and retired Maj Gen Geza’e Abera before their bodies were flown to their home state of Tigray for burial.

The generals were shot dead by the chief of staff's bodyguard at his own home in the Ethiopian capital. They were reportedly killed as part of a bid to overthrow the regional government of Amhara, in the northwestern part of the country.

The suspected ringleader of the coup, Brig Gen Asaminew Tsige was killed trying to flee Amhara's state capital, state-media reported.

The Ethiopian Federal Police Commission revealed that the two attacks in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa were "highly coordinated".

At least 13 security personnel died during the failed putsch.

On Tuesday, Abere Adamu, police commissioner of Amhara, told state media that six security personnel were killed during the incident, while four others sustained serious physical injuries.

Adamu said that the regional security apparatus, working in partnership with the federal government, had so far arrested four senior regional officials as part of an ongoing high-level investigation into the coup.

Among the four high-level suspects were Brig Gen Tefera Mamo, head of Amhara region's special forces, the regional police commissioner revealed.

In addition to Mekonnen and Abera, three other senior officials were killed in the incident including Ambachew Mekonnen, the president of Amhara's regional government, and Migbaru Kebede, the region's attorney general.