Ethiopians injured in hotel blast

By Damian Zane
BBC, Addis Ababa

Ethiopian police have said 31 people were injured when a bomb exploded in a popular bar in one of the Addis Ababa's nightclub areas.

Police have launched an investigation into the Addis blast

The blast happened on Saturday night when about 50 revellers were enjoying an evening out at the small Segen Hotel, in Ethiopian capital's Megenagna district.

The explosion, according to the police, hurt three people seriously, but no fatalities have been reported so far.

The most badly injured were taken to the city's Tikkur Anbessa hospital.

Eyewitnesses say they saw someone throw a bomb into the front of the bar, and then run away.

The police have now confirmed this, but they did not specify what type of the bomb was used.

Investigation

There is no doubt though that the federal police are taking this very seriously.

On Saturday night officers closed the road where the blast happened, and cleared the area, leaving what is normally a lively night club district completely deserted.

Federal police commissioner Workineh Gebayhu, who was also on the scene after the explosion, said that they are still investigating what he has described as a "cowardly attack" on innocent people.

In light of the recent terror warnings issued by Britain and America, and last year's bomb at the Tigray Hotel, which was linked with the separatist Oromo Liberation Front, the police will be anxious to get to the bottom of the incident.