More than 60 Christians killed in Ethiopia attacks, Orthodox church says

More than 60 people have been killed in a series of attacks targeting Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to statements from the country’s Orthodox Church.

​As reported by the BBC, the assault occurred in the Shirka district, where armed attackers burned down 20 houses. Eyewitnesses confirmed that five children were among the victims. One resident whose 75-year-old father died described the sudden attack: “We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions.”

​A church official characterized the event as a “massacre,” adding that security forces arrived at the scene but failed to halt the violence. In a statement posted on Facebook, the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church condemned the rising violence, noting that “such actions undermine the country’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.”

​A local official attributed the attack to the Alliance for Survival, a newly formed rebel coalition containing the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The regional government has vowed to take action against the perpetrators.