According to AFP, two residents and a priest said the attacks occurred on Saturday, October 24, in the country’s central Oromia region. Residents and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project told the news agency that at least 43 people were killed and 18 others injured when an unidentified armed group attacked villages in Shirka district, about 270 kilometres south of the capital, Addis Ababa.
ACLED said the attack was reportedly religiously motivated and targeted Orthodox Christians, adding that it triggered clashes with local militias that continued through Saturday afternoon and evening.
One resident recounted the personal toll of the violence, saying their sister and uncle were killed while several relatives were taken hostage in Chole ward of Shirka district.
A deacon from one of the affected churches expressed shock over the killings and called on the government to intervene and restore security. He put the death toll at 46, higher than the figure reported by residents and ACLED.
Oromia, which has a population of about 40 million, is home to diverse religious communities, including Muslims, Protestants and Orthodox Christians.
The latest violence comes days after deadly clashes between security forces from Ethiopia’s southern Somali and Oromia regions, raising further concerns about the country’s security situation.
