Several thousand protesters took to the streets in Ethiopian cities this past week, demanding Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed do more to tackle simmering ethnic violence following the kidnapping of a group of university students.
Armed men abducted the students from Dembi Dollo University in the Oromiya region in early December, according to survivors who escaped. The government said this past week that the army had rescued 21 of the students, but at least 12 others are still missing.
While the kidnappers' identity or motive is not clear, the incident has revived widespread fears about ethnic violence ahead of this year's election and intensified pressure on Nobel Peace Laureate Abiy, who comes from the Oromo ethnic group.