More Than 60 Christians Killed in Ethiopia's Oromia Region Massacre

A brutal series of attacks targeting Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region has resulted in the deaths of over 60 people, according to the country’s Orthodox Church. Church officials have denounced the incident as a devastating massacre.

Local residents recounted harrowing details of the assault. One individual, whose 75-year-old father was killed during the violence, described how armed assailants completely surrounded their community from all four directions without any prior warning. Eyewitness reports indicate that at least five children were among the victims, and approximately 20 homes were reduced to ashes.

A church official reported that security forces did manage to reach the Shirka district where three areas were targeted, but they were unable to halt the assault. Many terrified residents have since fled their homes in search of safety. The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church issued a strong statement condemning the violence, warning that such actions severely undermine national values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

The Orthodox Church expressed frustration that despite repeatedly raising security concerns with various levels of government, adequate solutions have yet to be implemented. A local official pointed the finger at a newly formed rebel coalition known as the Alliance for Survival, which incorporates the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). While the OLA has not yet issued a comment regarding this latest incident, it has consistently denied involvement in previous attacks.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration has frequently blamed the OLA for violence targeting civilians and religious institutions, characterizing the assaults as deliberate attempts to destabilize the nation. Meanwhile, human rights organizations continue to document a worrying trend of ethnically and religiously motivated violence affecting local communities across the region.

Read the full report on Nile Post.