In brief
In a devastating attack in the Shirka district of Ethiopia’s Oromia region, church officials say at least 60 Christians were murdered and 20 homes burned. Local residents recounted a surprise ambush, with attackers surrounding them from all sides. The Ethiopian government has pledged action, while a rebel coalition called the Alliance for Survival is suspected, though its members deny involvement. The massacre has intensified fears of sectarian violence, with many villagers abandoning their homes for safety. This tragedy arrives amid escalating attacks on religious communities and an ongoing conflict with the Oromo Liberation Army.
More than 60 people have been killed in a series of attacks on Christians in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the country's Orthodox Church.
A local resident, whose 75‑year‑old father was among the dead, described the attack as an ambush. "We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions," he told BBC Amharic.
The regional government has promised to investigate and take action against those responsible. Meanwhile, a newly formed rebel coalition – the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) – has been named as a likely culprit, though the OLA has denied any role.
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said that 20 houses were burned to the ground and that five of the victims were children. Security forces arrived after the incident but were unable to stop the assault, according to a church official who called the killings a “massacre.”
Many residents have now fled the area, adding to the humanitarian toll. In a Facebook statement, the church said it had repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with authorities at all levels, but that no solution has yet been found.
A report issued by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council in July 2026 recorded 458 deaths in attacks in the region over the past four years – making this incident one of the deadliest in that period.
The council’s report described the violence as repeatedly targeting local communities, especially followers of the Orthodox Church, in what it called religiously motivated attacks. The Ethiopian government has previously blamed the OLA for similar incidents, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed claiming the violence was an attempt to destabilise the country. The OLA maintains that it is fighting for greater rights for the Oromo people, not for violent uprisings.
Reports from the region also show that Muslims have faced attacks, suggesting that the violence is both ethnic and religious in nature. About two‑thirds of the Ethiopian population are Christians – largely Orthodox – with the remaining third being Muslim.
The tragedy underscores a growing crisis of religious and ethnic tension in a country already strained by political and humanitarian challenges. As refugees seek safer havens outside their villages, international observers call for urgent mediation and protection for civilians caught in the crossfire.”
