Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday vowed to bring perpetrators of deadly ethnic violence over the weekend in Burayu town, on the outskirts of Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to justice.

Ahmed made the statement while touring some of the nearly 900 people that were displaced by violence in Burayu town. At least 23 people have been confirmed dead, following weekend attacks by local Oromos against other ethnicities residing in Burayu town.

The weekend attack followed recent clashes in Addis Ababa among local residents and youth from surrounding ethnic Oromo areas who flocked to the city to celebrate the return of the exiled rebel leader of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) group that has been fighting insurgency for self-determination of Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromos.

Addis Ababa is an ethnically-mixed city of around four million people, but is situated within the larger Oromo-dominated Oromia regional state.

Speaking to local private and state media, Ahmed assured the displaced people that such types of incidences won't continue and that efforts will be undertaken to return the displaced to their original residences.

Thousands of people on Monday protested in Addis Ababa against the killing of civilians and property damage, urging the Ethiopian government to take action and protect civilians.

During the protest, however, five people were shot dead as confrontations rose between police and angry demonstrators.