Ethiopian officials say the military leader behind Saturday’s coup attempt in the Amhara region was killed Monday, as the country honored a national day of mourning.

Brigadier General Asamnew Tsige, who served as head of the Amhara region’s Peace and Security Bureau, was killed by security forces in Addis Ababa. He was the subject of a manhunt following the attack on the regional government leadership in Amhara.

Killed immediately during the original shootings were regional president Ambachew Mekonnen and his advisor, Ezez Wassie. Migbaru Kebede, the attorney general for Amhara, was gravely wounded and succumbed to his injuries on Monday.

Also killed in what the government described as a coordinated attack were the chief of staff for the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Seare Mekonnen, and retired Major Gen. Gezai Abera. They were shot by the army chief’s bodyguard, according to a statement from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. A military funeral is planned for the two leaders, while officials in Amhara arranged services for their leaders.

Amhara is one of nine regional governments in Ethiopia and home to one of its most populous ethnic groups. The Amhara and the Oromo group, of which Abiy is a member, resisted the Ethiopian government for years while demanding democratic reforms and fair treatment for ethnic groups.

While Abiy has achieved some of those goals during his tenure, the country’s stability remains fragile. Dozens of people have been arrested in the wake of the coup attack, and Ethiopians have had their Internet access cut off during the ongoing crisis.

Image: EBC file