Festivities were stained with signs of the war's toll: Gondar's hospitals teemed with wounded combatants, while families like Arega's confronted the absence of the deceased.
A United Nations spokesperson said the latest detentions had occurred in the capital of Afar province, on the only functional road leading into famine-threatened Tigray.
In recent days Abiy's office has instructed the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority to call journalists working for foreign media outlets to pressure them not to cover the vote
During his African tour this past week, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked up Washington’s ability to stimulate growth and entrepreneurship on the continent.