More than 60 people have been killed in a series of attacks targeting Christian communities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, in one of the deadliest incidents reported in the area in recent years.
The attacks took place in three areas of Shirka district, leaving dozens dead, homes destroyed and residents fleeing for safety. The church said at least 20 houses were burnt to the ground, while eyewitnesses told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children.
A resident whose 75-year-old father was among the victims described the incident as an ambush, saying the attackers surrounded the community from all directions.
“We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions,” the resident told BBC Amharic.
A church official described the violence as a “massacre”, adding that security forces arrived at the scene but were unable to stop the assault.
Following the attacks, many residents fled the area amid fears of further violence. The regional government has promised to take action against those responsible.
A local official blamed the attacks on a newly formed rebel coalition known as the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The group has not commented on the latest incident but has previously denied responsibility for similar attacks.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church condemned the killings, warning that attacks against Christians had been increasing in recent months. It said the violence undermined the country’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
In a statement published on Facebook, the church said it had repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with authorities at different levels of government but that no lasting solution had been found.
The killings come amid a prolonged period of insecurity in parts of Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region.
A report released in July 2026 by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, a non-governmental organisation, documented 458 deaths resulting from attacks in the area over the previous four years. The latest incident is among the deadliest reported during that period.
According to the report, armed groups have repeatedly targeted local communities, particularly members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, in attacks described as religiously motivated.
The Ethiopian government has previously accused the OLA of carrying out attacks against civilians and religious institutions. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said such violence forms part of efforts to destabilise the country.
However, the OLA, which says it is fighting for greater rights for the Oromo people, has denied the allegations.
Violence in the region has also affected Muslim communities, with previous reports documenting attacks against them. Residents who have spoken to the BBC have described the insecurity as having both ethnic and religious dimensions.
Ethiopia has a population made up largely of Christians and Muslims. About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, most belonging to the Orthodox Church, while roughly one-third are Muslim.
