In brief
In Ethiopia’s Oromia region, violence has left more than sixty Christians dead, according to the Orthodox Church. Residents describe the assault as an ambush, with attackers surrounding them from all sides. The government vows action while local officials blame the newly formed Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army, though the group denies involvement. Human‑rights reports indicate this is one of the deadliest incidents in recent years, highlighting a rise in religious and ethnic attacks.
More than 60 Christians were killed in a recent attack on the Oromia region of Ethiopia, the Orthodox Church says.
A local man, whose 75‑year‑old father was slain, told a radio interview that the violence was an ambush. "We were surrounded from all four directions," he said, adding that nothing told them anything was coming.
The regional government has said it will pressure those responsible, while a local official blamed a new rebel coalition – the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army – for the attacks. The OLA has denied any involvement.
The church’s Holy Synod said 20 homes were set ablaze, but did not name the attackers. An eyewitness confirmed that five of the dead were children.
The Orthodox Church condemned the violence, saying it rises to a “massacre” and threatens Ethiopia’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. In a Facebook post, the church noted that it has repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with authorities, but no solution has yet emerged.
Independent researchers from the Ethiopian Human Rights Council say that over 458 people were killed in the area in the last four years. This single event is the worst in that period, they report.
Ethiopia is about 60% Christian (mostly Orthodox) and 40% Muslim. In recent years, both religions have faced violence that is often ethnic as well as religious. Read more about Ethiopia’s growing conflict.
