Church says 60 Christians killed in Oromia attacks
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says at least 60 Orthodox Christians were killed in two attacks in Oromia region's Arsi Zone in the past week, in a statement from its Holy Synod issued on Monday 26 October. Fourteen people were killed in Merti Woreda on 20 October and 46 in Shirka Woreda on 24 October, according to the church, with more than 20 people hospitalised with severe injuries and more than 20 homes burned.
Fourteen and forty-six, by the church's count
The figure of 60 is the church's, and it is reported here as such throughout: it is not presented as independently confirmed by the authorities, and some local-source counts reported elsewhere for Shirka alone are lower. Responsibility is disputed and unverified. Oromia's regional government blamed a rebel alliance without providing evidence, while a source linked to that alliance blamed the regional government, citing two local residents. The Oromo Liberation Army, blamed by the region for previous attacks on Orthodox Christians, did not immediately respond to Reuters, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Blame disputed, no claim made
The attacks come as the Oromo Liberation Army is one of seven armed groups that announced last month an alliance aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. That context explains why blame is contested so quickly, but it does not settle who carried out these two attacks, and this report does not claim otherwise.
