Ethiopia Attacks: At Least 60 Orthodox Christians Killed in Oromia, Church Says

At least 60 Orthodox Christians have been killed in two attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, in one of the deadliest episodes of violence in the area in recent years. The church’s Holy Synod said the attacks took place on 20 and 24 October in the Arsi Zone of central Oromia, and described the killings as “extremely tragic cruelty and suffering inflicted on our citizens”, Al Jazeera reported.

The BBC, citing a church official, put the toll at more than 60. More than 20 people were seriously injured and 20 homes were burned, the Synod said. There has been no claim of responsibility.

What Happened in Arsi?

According to the Holy Synod’s statement, as reported by Al Jazeera and The Abay Times:

• 20 October: 14 people were killed at Gora Silingo in Angada kebele, Merti district.
• 24 October: 46 people were killed in the villages of Tereta, Chole and Birbo in Shirka district.

One resident, whose 75-year-old father was killed, told BBC Amharic: “We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions.” Eyewitnesses said five of those killed were children. A church official described the attacks in Shirka as a “massacre”, saying security forces reached the scene but were unable to stop the assault. Many residents have since fled.

Who Is Blamed for the Attacks?

The Oromia regional government has pledged to pursue those responsible. A local official blamed a newly formed rebel coalition, which the BBC named as the Alliance for Survival and which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has not commented on these attacks but has denied carrying out previous attacks on civilians. Ethiopia’s government has previously blamed the OLA for such violence, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed describing attacks on civilians and religious institutions as part of a plan to destabilise the country.

What Has the Church Asked For?

The Synod said the killings violated constitutional protections for life and freedom of worship, and that attacks on Orthodox Christians and their property in Arsi had been growing worse. It called on government institutions to condemn the killings publicly, strengthen protection for civilians and bring those responsible to justice. It said it would seek talks with senior officials, held prayers for the victims on Monday and asked Orthodox churches and monasteries worldwide to hold services on Tuesday.

Why Is Oromia So Unstable?

Oromia is Ethiopia’s largest region, home to about 40 million people, and government forces have fought armed groups there for years. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council reported in July that 458 people had been killed in attacks in the area over the previous four years, many of them followers of the Orthodox Church in what it called religiously motivated attacks, the BBC said. Previous reports have also documented attacks on Muslims, and residents have described the violence as both ethnic and religious. About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christian, mostly Orthodox, and about one-third Muslim.

The killings come as Ethiopian forces are also engaged in fighting in the northern Tigray region, Al Jazeera has reported. For more news from the continent, read our coverage of the spread of Ebola in DR Congo, the Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine trial and South Africa’s mid-term budget.

Featured image: Gyrofrog / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Ethiopian Orthodox clergy during a service; illustrative file photo, not from Oromia. Image licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sources

• Al Jazeera — Sixty Christians killed in Ethiopia’s Oromia region (27 October 2026).
• BBC News — More than 60 Christians killed in Ethiopia ‘massacre’, church official says (27 October 2026).
• The Abay Times — Orthodox Holy Synod says 60 faithful killed in two Arsi attacks (27 October 2026).
• APAnews — Ethiopian church confirms 60 members killed in attacks (27 October 2026).