Ethiopia 'coup hit-man is not dead': police

Chief General Sere Mekonen

The cover of the Ethiopian newspaper 'Addis Zaman', depicts the portraits of the deceased Chief General Seare Mekonen (left), Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Forces, and Ambachew Mekonen, President of the Ahmara Region, in Addis Ababa, on June 24, 2019.

Photo credit: Eduardo Soteras | AFP

What you need to know:

  • The name of the bodyguard has not yet been revealed.
  • The soldier is said to have killed Gen Seare Mekonnen, Gen Gezai Aber on Saturday as part of a coup attempt.
  • This is now the second time the story of what happened to the bodyguard has changed.

Ethiopia's federal police have apologised for saying that the bodyguard who is accused of assassinating the head of the army, Gen Seare Mekonnen, on Saturday had killed himself.

In a statement read on state media on Monday evening they said that the bodyguard, who has not been named, was instead being treated for gunshot wounds in hospital.

The prime minister's office has said the bodyguard killed Gen Seare and another general, Gezai Abera, at the army chief's home on Saturday as part of an attempt to overthrow the regional government in Amhara state.

CHANGING STORY

This is now the second time the story of what happened to the bodyguard has changed.

Initially on Sunday the government said that he had been arrested.

Then on Monday police chief Endeshaw Tasew announced that he had killed himself after killing the generals.

It is not clear whether the bodyguard's wounds that he is being treated for were self inflicted or whether he was shot by someone else.