The Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives has declared two days of national mourning starting from Wednesday for the victims of an attack by South Sudanese gunmen on civilians in Gambella.
Ethiopian flags in all regional states and in all Ethiopian embassies and on all Ethiopian-owned ships will be flown half-mast as a sign of respect for the victims, according to Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).
Ethiopian authorities have offered conflicting numbers on the death toll. EBC reported that about 182 civilians were killed in the attack and about 108 children were also abducted by the gunmen. Officials also claim that some 60 perpetrators were killed.
The officials have blamed gunmen from the Murle tribe, which resides in South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
Ethiopia’s government has also warned of the possibility of a cross-border army operation into South Sudan to recover abducted children and women.
Related: AU condemns attack by gunmen in Gambella