Over 60 Christians Killed in Ethiopia's Oromia Region, Church Calls it "Massacre"

More than 60 people, predominantly Christians, have been killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the country's Orthodox Church. A resident, whose 75-year-old father was among the victims, described the incident as an ambush, stating, "We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions." The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reported that 20 houses were burnt to the ground in the assaults.

Eyewitnesses told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children. A church official characterized the attacks across three areas in the Shirka district as a "massacre," noting that security forces arrived at the scene but were unable to halt the violence. The regional government has pledged to take action against those responsible for the killings.

A local official attributed the attacks to the newly formed rebel coalition, the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has not yet commented on these specific incidents, though it has denied involvement in previous similar attacks. The Orthodox Church has condemned the violence, highlighting a recent increase in attacks against Christians and expressing concerns that such actions undermine the country's values of mutual respect. The Church also stated on Facebook that it has repeatedly raised insecurity concerns with authorities at various government levels, but "so far there has been no solution."

This event is considered one of the deadliest in the area over the past four years, during which the Ethiopian Human Rights Council reported 458 people killed, according to a July 2026 report. That report indicated armed groups repeatedly targeted local communities, particularly followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, in what were described as religiously motivated attacks. The government has previously blamed the OLA, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed asserting that violence against civilians and religious institutions aims to destabilize the country. The OLA, which claims to fight for greater rights for the Oromo people, denies these allegations. Residents have described the violence as both ethnic and religious, with previous reports also documenting attacks against Muslims in the region. About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, mostly Orthodox, while one-third are Muslim.

What to watch: Authorities are expected to take action against those responsible for the attacks.

Editor's note: The draft provides a thorough and accurate account of the incident, correctly attributing claims to the Orthodox Church, local officials, and eyewitnesses as per the source.