<span style="color: #222222;">Ethiopia's army chief and the president of a key region have been shot dead in a wave of violence highlighting the political instability in the country as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tries to push through reforms.<br />''<br />''Prime Minister's office spokesperson Billence Seyoum said today that the latest unrest in the Horn of Africa nation flared yesterday in Amhara, one of nine autonomous regions, when a hit squad attacked a meeting of top officials.<br />''<br />''She told journalists that the attack was led by Amhara's security chief Asaminew Tsige, and resulted in regional president Ambachew Mekonnen and another top official being shot. <br />''<br />''She said, the men were gravely injured in the attack and later died of their wounds.<br />''<br />''She further said that several hours later in what seems like a coordinated attack, the chief of the staff of the national security forces Seare Mekonnen was killed in his home by his bodyguard in the capital Addis Ababa.<br />''<br />''Also shot dead was a retired general who had been visiting him. Sources said, the bodyguard has been apprehended while Asaminew is still on the loose. <br />''<br />''The link between the two attacks were not immediately clear. The internet has been cut nationwide since last evening, after being severed for much of the previous week.</span>