ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Police in Arba Minch city in Ethiopia's Southern regional state said Wednesday six people were arrested over a deadly clash at a religious festival.
Beta Anjelu, Coordinator at Gamo Gofa Zone Command Post of Southern regional state, said the six are suspected of trying to incite riot at Epiphany Celebrations last week.
Epiphany celebrations commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ are held in Ethiopia every year from January 18 to 20.
Anjelu said police are looking for four more suspects.
News of the arrests came after a clash involving protestors and police in Woldiya city, in northern Amhara regional state, left seven dead.
Six of the dead were civilians and one was a security officer, while two other officers and 15 civilians were injured.
Ethiopia in 2016 witnessed unrest that killed hundreds in three most populous regions Amhara, Oromia and Southern, leading to an imposition of martial law in October 2016 that was only lifted in August 2017.
However, isolated outbreaks of unrest particularly in Amhara and Oromia regional states since the lifting of the martial law has raised fears about stability in the populous East African nation with a rising economy.
