Ethiopia grants amnesty to high-profile political detainees

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s government has announced an amnesty for some of the country’s most high-profile political detainees, including opposition figure Jawar Mohammed and senior Tigray party officials, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spoke of reconciliation for Orthodox Christmas. It is the most dramatic move yet by the government after the country’s deadly Tigray war entered a new phase in late December, when Tigray forces retreated into their region amid a military offensive and Ethiopian forces said they would not advance further there. Friday’s announcement came a day after the United States said its outgoing special envoy for the Horn of Africa met with Abiy to again press for a negotiated end to the war.