At Least 60 Orthodox Christians Killed in Oromia Attacks
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reports at least 60 people were killed in two raids targeting Christians in Ethiopia's Oromia region.
At least 60 Orthodox Christians, including five children, were killed during two separate raids in the Arsi zone of Ethiopia's Oromia region on October 20 and 24, 2026. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reported that 14 people died in the Merti district and 46 died in the Shirka district. In Shirka, gunmen used knives and firearms to move from house to house, burning 20 homes and leaving more than 20 people hospitalized with severe injuries.
Death toll estimates vary by source. While the church reports 60 total deaths, the violence tracking group ACLED recorded at least 43 dead in the Shirka attack alone, with some local residents reporting up to 51 deaths in that district.
The Government of Oromia Region attributed the violence to a newly formed rebel coalition known as Tsimdo, or the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army. Regional officials claim the group seeks to incite ethnic and religious conflict to destabilize the country. Conversely, a source linked to the rebel alliance claimed the regional government carried out the killings. The Oromo Liberation Army has denied previous allegations of similar attacks.
The Holy Synod of the church condemned the events as a massacre and called for increased legal protection for Orthodox Christians. The federal government under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali had not issued a formal statement on the killings by October 28.
