Borkena
Toronto—A federal police member stationed in Gambella City, South West Ethiopia, reportedly opened fire on Monday evening.
The Gambella Regional Government Press Secretariat Office confirmed the incident, citing the regional government.
“According to an update released by the regional government, an unexpected shooting incident occurred this evening in the city of Gambella, involving a member of the Federal Police,” it said.
The news release from the office added that regional security forces, in coordination with federal government forces, responded to the situation.
The forces “took swift and appropriate measures to prevent the situation from escalating to a more serious level,” it added.
The government report was unclear. The motivation of the federal police officer who allegedly opened fire was not specified, and the officer’s name was not disclosed.
It also did not state whether there were any casualties from the exchange of fire. Residents of the city told Borkena, on condition of anonymity, that the exchange of fire lasted for hours.
Alemitu Umod, the region’s president, is cited as saying that detailed information on the incident, which reportedly occurred not far from her office, was not yet available as security forces were still working on it. “We will release it as soon as information becomes available,” she said.
The news update from the office also urged residents to return to their regular activities without security concerns, although coordinated regional and federal security forces continued operations.
The federal police have not commented on the development in Gambella.
There have been recurring security incidents in the Gambella region, including Gambella City, for several years. In December 2025, the city experienced a security crisis involving reported armed groups, leading the regional government to impose a curfew and deploy federal forces.
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