Ethiopian Orthodox Church Reports Over 60 Christians Killed in Oromia Region Attacks
Church official describes the incidents as a "massacre" with houses also destroyed; regional government vows action.
More than 60 Christians were killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to a statement from the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The church official described the incidents as a "massacre" that occurred in the Shirka district.
One resident recounted that the attackers "surrounded us from all four directions" in an ambush that left his 75-year-old father dead. Eyewitness accounts shared with BBC Amharic indicated that five children were among those killed, and 20 houses were burned to the ground. Many residents have fled the affected areas.
The regional government has stated its intention to take action against those responsible for the violence. A local official attributed the attacks to the Alliance for Survival, a recently formed rebel coalition that includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has not yet commented on the accusations and has previously denied carrying out similar attacks.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church condemned the violence, noting a recent increase in attacks against Christians and asserting that such actions undermine Ethiopia's values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. The church stated it had previously raised security concerns with government authorities but had not seen a resolution.
An independent report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council in July 2026 documented 458 deaths in attacks in the region over the preceding four years, characterizing many as religiously motivated assaults targeting followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The recent events represent one of the deadliest attacks during that period.
The Ethiopian government has previously blamed the OLA for such attacks, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stating that violence targeting civilians and religious institutions is part of a plan to destabilize the country. The OLA, which advocates for greater rights for the Oromo people, denies these claims. Reports have also documented attacks against Muslims in the region, with residents describing the violence as having both ethnic and religious dimensions. Christians, predominantly Orthodox, constitute about two-thirds of Ethiopia's population, with Muslims making up the remaining third.