Dozens were killed in fighting during Ethiopian foiled coup - Amhara spokesman

Dozens of people were killed in fighting during a foiled coup in Ethiopia's Amhara region at the weekend, the regional government spokesman said - the first official report of significant clashes and a much higher toll than earlier estimates. Asemahagh Aseres told Reuters a rogue militia unit had attacked the police headquarters, regional president's office and the ruling party headquarters on Saturday.

The militia had been made up of members of a recently recruited unit of the region's security services and had appealed for others to join it, Asemahagh said on Wednesday. The militia had also tried and failed to take over the region's state media, the spokesman added.