Rebels blow up bus carrying ruling party officials near Lalibela

Rebels blow up bus carrying ruling party officials near Lalibela Ethiomedia January 9, 2013 LALIBELA, Northern Ethiopia (Ethiomedia) - Dozens of ruling party officials were killed and scores of others maimed when a landmine blew up their 45-seater bus near the historic town of Lalibela on Tuesday, rebel sources told Ethiomedia by phone on Wednesday. The victims were all members of the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), which is one of the four parties that make up the EPRDF coalition. The rebel group Ethiopian Unity and Freedom Force (EUFF) said the officials were returning to Bahirdar after they had Christmas celebrations at Checheho Medhanialem Church on the border between Lasta and Gayint districts. The news couldn't be verified by an independent source, though previous reports by the rebel organization have never been disputed by the government in Addis. EUFF meanwhile warned civilians to avoid buses and other means of transportation used by ruling party and government officials. Last week, at least 20 people were killed and 21 seriously injured when they were trying to put out a fire that had engulfed a fuel tanker belonging to the ruling party. The tanker had detonated a landmine. The incident attracted passengers of a bus but couldn't escape death when the fully-loaded tanker exploded into a fireball and consumed all those who were there to fight the blaze. EUFF has stepped up military operations in recent times, destroying TPLF/EPRDF property and targetting prisons to free detained political prisoners. In Ethiopia, the political repression is so severe even journalists are convicted in courts as terrorists who are slapped with long-term prison sentences.

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