Ethiopian Human Rights Commission on Wednesday reported more than 100 people were killed in a massacre along the ethnic lines in western Ethiopia. 

The death toll is expected to rise.

A day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the region and spoke about the need to end ethnic massacres for the nation’s all-round development, the attack in the Metekel zone of Benishangul-Gumuz region took place. 

The P.M said the ethnic tensions to be a major challenge as tried to promote national unity in the country with more than 80 ethnic groups.

These attacks are not in any way associated with the deadly conflict happening in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia where allied regional forces and Ethiopian forces started fighting against the Tigray regional forces in early November.

Some villagers were encircled and threatened on Wednesday evening, with the death toll speculated to be above 200 hundred, head of the National Movement of Amhara political party, Belete Molla reported after exchanging a few words with residents.

The members of the ethnic Gumuz community attacked the homes of ethnic Amhara, Oromo, and Shinasha, set them on fire, stabbed and shot residents. The Gumuz see minorities as “settlers”, five survivors reported to Amnesty International.

The region’s ruling party, the Benishangul-Gumuz prosperity party accused the armed bandits of “horrifying crime”.

In recent weeks, the Amharas have been repeatedly targeted. One rebel attack in the far western Oromia region killed at least 54 people in early November. The Amharas are also the second most populous ethnic group in Ethiopia, according to Amnesty International.

Another attack in the Benishangul-Gumuz region that took place in early October killed a minimum of 14 people. It was followed by similar attacks in September that leftover 300 casualties, making the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission deeply concerned.