More Than 60 Christians Killed in Ethiopia's Oromia Region, Church Says

More than 60 Christians have been killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the country's Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said 60 faithful were killed between October 21 and 25 across the Merti and Shirka districts of Arsi Zone — 14 at Gora Silingo in Merti on October 20, and 46 more in Shirka's Tiruta, Chole and Birbo areas on October 24.

One resident, whose 75-year-old father was among the dead, told BBC Amharic the attackers surrounded the villages from all four directions in an early-morning ambush. 'We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge,' he said. Eyewitnesses said five of those killed were children, 20 houses were burnt to the ground, and more than 20 people were taken to hospital with serious injuries. A church official described the attacks as a 'massacre', saying security forces arrived but were unable to stop the assault, and many residents have now fled the area.

A local official blamed a newly formed rebel coalition, the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has not commented on these attacks but has denied carrying out previous ones. The regional government said it would take action against those responsible. The Orthodox Church said attacks against Christians had been increasing and that repeated security warnings to authorities had brought 'no solution'. A July 2026 rights report counted 458 people killed in attacks in the area over the previous four years.

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