At least 60 Orthodox Christians have been killed in attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says. The attacks took place in the Arsi Zone, and the church has demanded that authorities protect civilians.
The Oromia regional government has blamed the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) but presented no evidence. The OLA could not be reached for comment.
What the church says
The church's Holy Synod called the killings "brutal and merciless massacres" and urged authorities to protect civilians and bring those responsible to justice. It said the attacks violated constitutional protections for religious freedom and the right to life.
According to the church, the first attack took place on 20 October in Merti district and killed 14 people. The second, on Saturday 24 October in Shirka district, killed 46 people in the village of Tereta Chole. The church says more than 20 people were seriously wounded and 20 homes were burned.
Another account describes overnight attacks from Saturday to Sunday in Shirka district, about 270 km south of Addis Ababa. According to unnamed witnesses, assailants went from house to house killing residents with guns and knives, and elderly people and children were among the dead. Churches in neighbouring villages sheltered people who fled.
What the authorities and the OLA say
Oromia regional government spokesperson Hailu Adugna blamed the OLA and its allies, saying they were trying to provoke ethnic and religious conflict to divert attention from military losses in northern Ethiopia. He said regional authorities had begun taking action against those responsible and pledged aid to the wounded and displaced. No evidence was presented for the claim.
Another account says Ethiopian authorities point to a rebel coalition called "Tsimido", which they say includes Tigrayan, Amhara Fano and OLA elements. That account does not confirm the group's responsibility.
In February, OLA leader Kumsa Diriba, also known as Jaal Marroo, denied that his fighters target civilians, saying: "Our war is not against the people." The OLA could not be reached for comment on these attacks.
The OLA is one of seven groups in an alliance formed in September that aims to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. Conflict between government forces and the OLA in Oromia dates to 2018. UN investigators have accused the OLA of killings, rapes and kidnappings, and rights monitors have documented abuses by government forces, including drone strikes and extrajudicial killings.
