Col. Abebe Geresu, founding and executive committee member of Tinsae Ethiopia Patriotic Union (Tinsae Ethiopia), has been arrested in Eritrea, according to Ethiopian Review sources.

Tinsae Ethiopia’s executive committee has confirmed the information, but added that the case is being handled diplomatically.

The Tinsae Ethiopia leadership also expressed its concern for Col. Abebe’s health since he has diabetes and that his doctors instructed him to seek medial attention abroad shortly before he was arrested.

Col. Abebe was picked up from Nyala Hotel in Asmara a few weeks ago and his current whereabouts are unknown, sources said.

He is the second high level official of Tinsae Ethiopia to have disappeared in Eritrea since 2010.

It’s to be remembered that Col. Tadesse Muluneh, who is also a founding and executive committee member of Tinsae Ethiopia, disappeared in Eritrea in October 2010 and that the Government of Eritrea has not been willing to inform any one about his status.

Tinsae Ethiopia is trying to exhaust its diplomatic efforts to have both of its executive committee members freed before releasing any official statement, its leadership said.

Prior to his arrest, Col. Abebe gave an interview to the Las Vegas-based Helina Radio on the unity of Ethiopia and other issues (click here to listen).