More Than 60 Christians Killed in Attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region, Orthodox Church Says
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says more than 60 people were killed in attacks on three areas of Shirka district over the weekend, while other counts put the toll lower and no group has claimed the attacks.
More than 60 people were killed in a series of attacks on Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. A church official described the attacks on three areas in the Shirka district as a “massacre” in comments reported by the BBC.
One resident, whose 75-year-old father was killed, told BBC Amharic the attackers surrounded residents. “We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions,” he said.
The Holy Synod of the church said 20 houses were burned to the ground in the attacks. It did not name those responsible. An eyewitness told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children, and many residents have fled the area.
Counts differ and no group has claimed the attacks
The reported death toll is not settled. Residents and the conflict monitoring group ACLED told AFP that at least 43 people were killed and 18 wounded in attacks on villages on Saturday, Oct. 24. The church’s count is higher, at more than 60.
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 and has denied carrying out previous attacks of this kind. The regional government said it would take action against those responsible.
A region with a record of attacks
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council said in a report released in July 2026 that 458 people had been killed in attacks in that area over the previous four years. The church said attacks against Christians had been increasing recently and that it had raised security concerns with authorities at different levels of government, but that so far there had been no solution.
Previous reports have also documented attacks against Muslims in the area. Residents who spoke to the BBC on various occasions described the violence as both ethnic and religious in nature. About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, mostly Orthodox, while one-third are Muslim.
The church condemned the violence and said such actions undermine the country’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
Reporting based on coverage by the BBC and AFP.
