In brief
Reports from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church confirm that more than 60 Christians were killed in a series of violent attacks across the Oromia region, including the Shirka district. Victims were ambushed and homes burned while security forces were unable to prevent the assaults. Local officials blame the newly formed Alliance for Survival, in particular the Oromo Liberation Army, though the group denies responsibility. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council notes that such targeted violence has escalated over the last four years, creating an urgent call for accountability and protection for minority religious communities.
More than 60 people have lost their lives in a string of brutal attacks on Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has said.
Crucial details emerged when residents of Shirka district described a sudden ambush: they were surrounded from all directions and caught unprepared, a 75‑year‑old man’s father died in the assault.
The regional government pledged a swift response against those responsible, while a local official linked the violence to a new rebel coalition – the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has denied any involvement.
According to a statement from the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, 20 homes were set ablaze amid the attacks, but the authorities who caused the damage were not specified.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that five of the victims were children, adding a tragic dimension to the tragedy.
A church official described the events in Shirka as a “massacre”, noting that security forces arrived too late to stop the attackers.
The scale of the violence has forced many residents to flee their villages, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
In a Facebook post, the Orthodox Church condemned the attacks, arguing that they undermine Ethiopia’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. The church explained that it has repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with government bodies, but no tangible solutions have followed.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council’s July 2026 report highlighted that 458 people lost their lives in attacks across Oromia over the past four years. This latest incident is among the deadliest in that time span.
The report stressed that armed groups have repeatedly targeted local communities, especially Ethiopian Orthodox followers, in racially and religiously motivated assaults.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has historically blamed the OLA for such incidents, accusing the group of orchestrating violence aimed at destabilising the country. The OLA maintains that it is fighting for greater rights for the Oromo people and denies these allegations.
Additional reports describe violence against Muslim communities in the region, indicating that the attacks may stem from both ethnic and religious tensions.
With about two‑thirds of Ethiopia’s population identifying as Christian – largely Orthodox – and one‑third as Muslim, the situation rests on a fragile social fabric that could collapse under sustained conflict.
