At least 43 people have been killed and 18 others wounded after gunmen attacked villages and targeted Orthodox Christian churches and homes in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to residents and a conflict monitoring group.
The attack took place on Saturday in Shirka district, about 270 kilometres south of Addis Ababa, the country’s capital. Details of the incident emerged on Monday through accounts gathered by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project said the attack was believed to have been driven by religious motives, with Orthodox Christians reportedly singled out.
“The attack is said to be religiously motivated and to have targeted Orthodox Christians,” the conflict monitor said, noting that the assault triggered confrontations with local militias and continued into Saturday evening.
However, the number of people killed remains uncertain, with different accounts suggesting that the death toll could be higher than the initial figure of 43.
A resident told AFP that two members of their family were among those killed, while other relatives were reportedly abducted during the violence.
“My sister and uncle were killed, and several of my relatives were taken hostage in Chole ward of Shirka district,” the resident said by telephone, requesting anonymity.
Another local resident estimated the death toll at 51, while a deacon from one of the attacked churches put the figure at 46.
“We are deeply shocked by these tragic killings and are appealing to the government to intervene and restore security,” the deacon said.
He added that some residents had fled their homes and taken refuge in nearby churches amid fears of further attacks.
The Ethiopia Human Rights Commission said it was monitoring the situation but did not immediately release further information about the incident.
Establishing the full circumstances surrounding violence in Ethiopia is often difficult because of restrictions on media access, making independent confirmation of casualty figures and other details challenging.
Oromia, the country’s largest regional state, has an estimated population of about 40 million and has endured a prolonged insurgency alongside ethnic and religious tensions involving Muslim, Protestant and Orthodox Christian communities.
ACLED said it had documented a rise in attacks against Orthodox Christians in the region since February 2023, with the incidents intensifying from last year.
It remains unclear whether the latest attack was linked to the Oromo Liberation Front, an insurgent group operating in the region. Although the conflict has primarily been associated with grievances over political representation and ethnic rights, religious identity has also featured in the mobilisation of armed groups.
The killings come as Ethiopia continues to face several security crises across the country, including renewed heavy fighting in the northern Tigray region last month.
The latest violence raises further concerns about the safety of religious communities in Oromia and the authorities’ ability to protect civilians in areas affected by armed conflict.
Reporting credit: Agence France-Presse (AFP)
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