Air strikes reportedly hit the demonstrators, who'd gathered in the town of Finote Selam in protest against plans by federal forces to enter the area.

The BBC has not been able to verify the claims and there's been no comment yet from the government in Addis Ababa. 

The army and a militia group, called Fano, have been involved in heavy clashes across the Amhara region in recent weeks. 

The militia had refused to disarm, prompting the federal government to deploy the army.