Over 60 Christians Killed in Ethiopia's Oromia Region Attacks
· World · BBC News, Al Jazeera, The Hindu
More than 60 Christians have been killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the country's Orthodox Church. A local official attributed the attacks to the Alliance for Survival, a newly formed rebel coalition that includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), though the OLA has denied previous similar allegations. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reported 20 houses were burnt and described the incidents in the Shirka district as a "massacre," with security forces unable to stop the assault. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council stated in a July 2026 report that 458 people were killed in the area over the previous four years, with armed groups targeting Orthodox Christians in religiously motivated attacks. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has previously blamed the OLA for such violence, calling it a destabilisation effort.
Why it matters
These attacks highlight escalating ethnic and religious violence in Ethiopia's Oromia region, leading to significant loss of life and displacement. The ongoing insecurity undermines the country's social fabric and poses a challenge to the government's ability to protect its citizens.
Read the original report — BBC News
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