ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ethnic clashes in Ethiopia's northern Amhara regional state have left seven people dead, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday.

In a press statement, Bantihun Mekonen, Deputy Chief Administrator of Central Gonder zone of Amhara regional state, said the ethnic clashes were between ethnic Amhara and minority ethnic Qimant communities.

Mekonen said the clashes, which occurred between Dec. 5 to Dec. 8, also resulted in the burning of 480 houses and displacement of scores of people.

He further said the ethnic clashes were stopped by the intervention of local and federal security forces.

In recent months, parts of Amhara regional state have been scenes of deadly clashes between the majority Amhara ethnic group and Qimant activists that have left several people dead and thousands of people displaced.

Qimants are an ethnic monitory group living in the northwestern corner of Amhara regional state. In recent years Qimant activists have been campaigning to have their own autonomous region within Amhara regional state.