ADDIS ABABA, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Addis Ababa city authorities said Wednesday evening it had ordered police to take "serious measures" against further unrest, following the killing of at least 22 people who clashed in the streets with security forces.

    The Addis Ababa City Interim Peace and Security Command said in a statement that police and security forces would "take serious measures against those persons who shout in groups, attempt to inflict damage on government and public properties and do other destructive activities."

    The command urged parents to advise their children not to take part in the ongoing protests "because those organs, interested in engaging in chaos and looting, were trying to use children to their end."

    It said necessary legal interventions were being taken to control those elements engaged in fomenting chaos, heaping rocks on highways and looting properties.

    It added the police and security forces have begun taking necessary measures to maintain peace and security of the public.

    On Wednesday, police and security forces in the capital opened fire on stone-throwing crowds who were looting shops, robbing banks, attacking police and trying to free detainees in custody, according to police statement. Up to now, at least 22 people were killed and 40 others wounded.

    The Ethiopia government blamed the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), the country's largest opposition party, for inciting the worst violence seen in the capital in four years. However, the CUD denied it was behind the protests and ensuing violence.

    Tension has been rising in the extremely poor country since theMay 15 parliamentary elections, with the opposition accusing the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of vote-rigging.

    The ruling party, led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, retained control of parliament according to official election results that have not yet been ratified. Enditem