Three people have been killed and five others wounded after an abandoned bomb exploded in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, police say.
The blast happened in the city’s Lideta neighbourhood on Sunday.
The people who died were homeless and living on the streets, senior police officer commander Alemayehu Ayalke told state broadcaster EBC.
The explosion occurred amid a six-week conflict in northern Tigray region between federal forces and a rebellious force there, but there was no indication it was linked to that.
“An investigation regarding the explosion is now going on and the public will be informed once the investigation is completed,” the state-owned Ethiopia News Agency reported.
There have been several small bomb explosions in Addis Ababa since the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched an offensive against Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the rebellious former rulers in Tigray, on Nov 4.
Federal police have blamed some of the explosions on TPLF, but have not provided evidence to back up their claims.
The Ethiopian government captured Tigray’s capital Mekelle on Nov. 28. TPLF leaders, possibly hiding in surrounding mountains since then, had said they were fighting back.
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