Gunmen in the Metekel zone persist in the brutal killing of civilians, as reported by Addis Maleda. Residents of the area, interviewed by Addis Maleda, have confirmed that 11 people were killed in the past week in Derei, a location between Bulen and Apar woredas. The residents have reported a heavy presence of armed groups in the area, and the road between Bulen and Apar has been blocked for over six days.
According to the report, the gunmen also launched an attack on the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) stationed there, resulting in the death of one soldier and the injury of another. In response, the ENDF took measures against the militants on February 16, 2021.
Sources have revealed that the armed group has actively been destroying villages in Bullen woreda, obstructing the efforts to repatriate the displaced people. The villages of Bekuj, Addis Alem, Chilanko, and Goja have been devastated by the group. The zone is currently organizing and training militias from among the displaced people to prepare them for self-defense upon their return to their villages.
However, according to another report from Addis Maleda, residents of Bulen town have recently begun fleeing their homes, due to the presence of armed gunmen in the area. Residents express that the armed group is actively patrolling the town as the zone has initiated negotiations and disarmament efforts with the group, leading to heightened fear and insecurity among the population. The Boro Democratic Party, one of the opposition parties in the region, has validated the fears expressed by the residents. They have disclosed that armed men are looting the homes of those who have fled the town out of fear for their lives. The situation in the zone appears to have regressed into instability.
