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Blast injures dozens at rally supporting Ethiopian PM

By Sam Howard
An injured man is helped by others as security officers gather at the scene of an explosion during a massive rally to support the country’s new reformist prime minister Abiy Ahmed in Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday. Reports say the blast occurred shortly after Abiy addressed thousands of his supporters. Photo by EPA-EFE/STR
An injured man is helped by others as security officers gather at the scene of an explosion during a massive rally to support the country’s new reformist prime minister Abiy Ahmed in Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday. Reports say the blast occurred shortly after Abiy addressed thousands of his supporters. Photo by EPA-EFE/STR

June 23 (UPI) -- More than 100 people were injured Saturday when an explosion struck a rally supporting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Abiy, sworn in as prime minister in April, spoke earlier at the rally in the capital of Addis Ababa, but was unharmed by the blast, CNN reported. At least 114 people were hospitalized because of the explosion, Solomon Ali of the Ethiopia Red Cross Society told the network.

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Abiy said he thinks the explosion was intentional, according to The Reporter, an Ethiopian newspaper. The explosion killed at least one person, according to Voice of America News.

The prime minister's chief of staff said a grenade caused the explosion.

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