More than 60 Christians killed in Ethiopia ‘massacre’, church official says
More than 60 people have been killed in attacks on Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. A church official called the assaults in three areas of Shirka district a “massacre”; the killings matter amid reports of repeated insecurity and attacks on local communities.
The church said 20 houses were burned, and witnesses told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children. A local official blamed a newly formed rebel coalition that includes the Oromo Liberation Army, which has denied responsibility for previous attacks and has not commented on these killings. A human rights council report said 458 people had been killed in attacks in the area over the previous four years; it documented violence against Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims.
In short
- More than 60 people were killed in attacks in Oromia.
- The church said 20 homes were burned.
- Responsibility for the latest attacks remains unconfirmed.
Explained simply
Oromia is Ethiopia’s largest region and has seen years of conflict involving government forces and armed groups. The Oromo Liberation Army is one such group; it is part of a newly formed rebel coalition, though responsibility for particular attacks can be disputed.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is one of the country’s major Christian institutions. Shirka district has experienced repeated attacks on local communities, and a human rights council has reported deaths among both Orthodox Christians and Muslims there. This wider history helps explain why reports of violence in the area raise concerns about the safety of different communities.