He was speaking after the destruction of a number of mosques on Amhara, north of the capital Addis Ababa.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner condemned attempt by extremists to break down Ethiopia’s rich history of religious tolerance and co-existence which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed added have  no place in the new prosperity focused country.

He condemns what he calls acts of cowardice and calls on peace-loving Ethiopians to draw deeply on their reservoir of respect.

Five people suspected of burning down four mosques in Ethiopia’s Amhara region have been arrested.

A church in the town of Motta was also targeted by arsonists but it is not immediately clear who is responsible.

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General Asamnew Tsige was killed near the Amhara capital of Bahir Dar  where the state governor was shot by his bodyguard on Saturday.

Ethiopia’s army chief was also killed by his his bodyguard in the capital Addis Ababa as part of that plot.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on Ethiopian to unite against what he called this evil.

Ethiopia observed a day of mourning for the victims of the attempted coup.

There is resentment within the old power elite over reforms Ahmed has introduced since coming to power last year, including putting on trial military personnel accused of human rights violations during Ethiopia’s hardline undemocratic rule 

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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made the announcement on national television after gunfire was heard overnight in the capital Addis Ababa.

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Clad in army fatigues, a grim-faced premier Abiy Ahmed denounced plotters attempting a coup in Ethiopia’s second most populous state Amhara.

The US embassy in Ethiopia warned of gunfire in the Amhara state capital Bahir Dar and in Addis Ababa.

There’ no indication of exactly who’s behind the attempted overthrow of the reformist prime minister….

…who has tried to release the 100-million Ethiopians  from iron-fisted government by releasing political prisoners, unbanning parties and allowing the return of exiles.

Ethnic violence in Amhara has raged for years, displacing more than a million people. 

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The incident in the northern town of Waldiya follows days after Addis Ababa grief to brush up its human rights record by releasing political prisoners

The killings, in the Amhara region some 500km north of the capital Addis Ababa, happened on the second day of the Epiphany celebrations where worshippers in this East African nation mark the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Security forces responded with force when youths in the town tried to attack officers who were patrolling the holiday procession areas.

Woldiya residents say the measures taken by the security forces were excessive and feared the death toll was higher. A number of hotels, restaurants and shops were burned down by angry protesters.

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