At least 60 Ethiopian Orthodox Christians were killed in two attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the country’s Orthodox Church, which has called on authorities to protect civilians and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said 14 people were killed in Merti district on 20 October, followed by another 46 deaths in Shirka district on 24 October. Both districts are located in the Arsi Zone of Oromia.
More than 20 people were seriously injured, while 20 homes were reportedly set on fire, the Church said, describing the incidents as “brutal and merciless massacres”.
Hailu Adugna, spokesperson for the Oromia regional government, blamed the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) for the attacks. He alleged that the armed group and its allies were seeking to inflame ethnic and religious tensions to divert attention from military setbacks in northern Ethiopia. However, he did not provide evidence to support the allegations in his statement.
Adugna expressed sorrow over the loss of life and destruction, saying regional authorities had begun taking action against those responsible. He also promised assistance for people who had been injured or displaced.
The OLA was not available for comment. Its leader, Kumsa Diriba, also known as Jaal Marroo, previously denied that his fighters deliberately targeted civilians. In an interview published by The Associated Press in February, he said the group’s conflict was not directed against the people.
The OLA is one of seven organisations that formed the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival in September. The alliance aims to remove the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Other members include the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Amhara Fano National Movement.
The Orthodox Church said the killings violated constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and the right to life. It urged the authorities to condemn the attacks publicly, protect vulnerable communities and take measures to prevent further violence.
Oromia is Ethiopia’s largest region, with a population of about 40 million. It has experienced conflict between government forces and the OLA since 2018, while other armed groups and criminal gangs also operate in the area. Civilians have faced killings, extortion and kidnapping amid the continuing insecurity.
United Nations investigators have accused the OLA of killings, rape and kidnappings. Human rights monitors have also documented alleged abuses by government forces, including indiscriminate drone strikes, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
Sarah Kimani, media manager at Amnesty International, told the Associated Press in a January interview that the organisation had documented summary executions, torture, abductions and rape by both government forces and the OLA.
She warned that internet shutdowns and restrictions on independent media and civil society made it difficult to establish the full extent of civilian suffering. The abuses documented so far, she said, represented only a small part of the wider picture.
Based on reporting by Crux.
