Addis Ababa: A bomb exploded today in a hotel in southern Ethiopia, killing three people and wounding five others, information ministry spokesman Zemedkum Tekle told AFP.

"According to some security reports, there has been an explosion in Negelle Borena today killing three people and injuring five. The government suspects a terrorist group planted a bomb in an hotel in Negelle Borena," he said.

"The government is making every effort to capture those responsible for this attack," he added.

Negelle Borena is a small town located 595 kilometres south of the capital Addis Ababa, in the Oromo region, where rebels have fought for years over claims of marginalisation by the government.

The suspected bomb attack came as the regime of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi celebrated today the 17th anniversary of former president Mengistu Haile Mariam s ouster.

On May 20,a bomb went off on a minibus near the foreign ministry in Addis Ababa, killing six people, including a US national.

The authorities, who made several arrests, blamed last week s explosion on arch-foe Eritrea and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

Three people were also killed and 18 wounded in bomb blasts at petrol stations in Addis Ababa on April 14.

Source : PTI