One dead in attack on Chinese nationals in Ethiopia

According to the country's embassy, one person was murdered on Monday during gunfire that was directed at a group of Chinese nationals in Ethiopia's unrest-plagued Oromia region.

Nine Chinese nationals were targeted by the gunmen during the incident in Garba Guaracha town, which is located about 160 kilometers (99 miles) north of Addis Abeba. One of the nine Chinese victims was killed.

It confirmed that "unfortunately one of them has passed away."

The embassy has advised Chinese nationals to be more cautious and leave "high-risk areas" immediately.

According to the embassy, "pernicious occurrences of armed attacks, kidnappings, and robberies" are frequent in Oromia and the surrounding regions.

The BBC was unable to get in touch with the area's communications office.

A peace agreement agreed in November has brought about some relative calm in the war-torn Tigray area of northern Ethiopia, but fighting between government forces and the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has been reported in Oromia.

In recent weeks, deaths have also resulted from fighting near the region's boundaries with the neighboring Amhara.

20 employees of a Dangote Cement mill in Nigeria were abducted last week by unidentified gunmen in the area. Later, it was claimed that they had been freed.

This kidnapping was the second of its kind in recent weeks.

A few Dangote Cement workers were also abducted in December and released after a ransom was paid.