The calls followed a weekend of violence in which three people were killed after security forces clashed with what police labeled Muslim "extremists."

Hundreds of people held rallies near mosques in the capital, Addis Ababa, and some regional towns on Friday and Saturday.

The state news agency said all three killed were police officers and that 11 people were injured during the hours-long unrest. Muslim leaders, however, said that police stormed a peaceful protest and killed about a dozen people.

Some in Ethiopia's Muslim community have been protesting alleged government interference in religious affairs for about two years.

The Muslim protesters accuse the government of unconstitutionally encouraging a moderate teaching of Islam called Al-Ahbash.