Ethiopia: 60 Orthodox Christians killed in Oromia attacks, church says
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says 60 of its faithful were killed in two attacks on villages in Oromia's Arsi Zone on October 20 and 24, the latest in a pattern of violence against Christians in the region.
At a glance
- The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says 60 Orthodox Christians were killed in two attacks in the Arsi Zone of Oromia on October 20 and October 24, 2026.
- According to the church, 14 people were killed in Merti district on October 20 and 46 in villages of Shirka district on October 24; more than 20 were badly injured and 20 homes were burned.
- Residents and the conflict monitor ACLED put the toll of the Shirka attack alone at 43 to 51; the figures have not been independently verified.
- No group has claimed the attacks. A local official blamed a rebel alliance that includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which has denied targeting civilians in the past.
- The church has called on the government to condemn the killings and protect civilians; the Oromia regional government has pledged to pursue those responsible.
At least 60 Orthodox Christians were killed in two attacks on rural villages in the Arsi Zone of Ethiopia's Oromia region last week, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The church's Holy Synod said gunmen struck communities in Merti district on October 20 and in Shirka district on October 24, and called on the authorities to protect civilians and bring those responsible to justice.
What happened
According to the Holy Synod, the deadlier of the two attacks took place on the night of Saturday, October 24, when armed men surrounded farming families in villages of Shirka district, opened fire and set homes alight. Residents said the attack began at around 10pm. Four days earlier, on October 20, 14 people were killed in Gora Silingo, in Angada kebele of neighbouring Merti district.
| Date | District (Arsi Zone) | Villages named | Killed (church figure) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Oct 20 | Merti | Gora Silingo, Angada kebele | 14 |
| Saturday, Oct 24 | Shirka | Tereta (Tiruta), Chole, Birbo | 46 |
| Total | 60 |
The church said more than 20 people were seriously injured and 20 homes were burned. An eyewitness said five of those killed were children. A church official said security forces reached the area but were unable to stop the assault.
The figures are still provisional. Residents and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED), which tracks political violence, counted at least 43 dead and 18 wounded in the Shirka attack; one resident put that toll at 44 and another at 51, while local Ethiopian reports gave at least 47. No government agency or independent rights body has yet published its own count, and access for journalists to the area is heavily restricted.
Who is behind it
No group has claimed responsibility. A local official blamed a newly formed rebel alliance that includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which has fought the federal government in parts of Oromia for years. The OLA has denied targeting civilians in previous incidents, and the accusation has not been independently confirmed. ACLED said the Shirka attack was reported to be religiously motivated and aimed at Orthodox Christians. Relatives of victims also claimed that armed men came from neighbouring Bale Zone, a claim that could not be verified.
Background
Arsi is a largely rural, farming zone south-east of Addis Ababa with a mixed Orthodox Christian and Muslim population. ACLED says it has recorded rising attacks on Orthodox Christian communities in Oromia since February 2023, with a sharp escalation over the past year, including killings in Arsi in June 2026. Oromia, Ethiopia's largest and most populous region, has been hit by an insurgency, ethnic clashes and kidnappings for ransom, while the country is also dealing with tension in Amhara and Tigray and fighting on its border regions that has pushed tens of thousands of people into northern Kenya.
Reactions
The Holy Synod, the church's highest governing body, condemned the killings and urged government institutions to denounce them publicly, protect civilians and make sure the attackers face justice. It also called for federal protection for Orthodox communities in Arsi. The Oromia regional government has pledged to pursue those responsible. The state-run Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said it was following the situation.
Why it matters
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and counts tens of millions of followers, roughly four in ten Ethiopians. Repeated attacks on its members in Oromia risk deepening religious and ethnic divisions in a country of about 130 million people that is already strained by several internal conflicts, high inflation and the costs of rebuilding after the 2020–2022 Tigray war. Attacks on farming villages also drive people from their land, adding to displacement and food insecurity in one of Africa's most important agricultural regions.
What happens next
Families in Shirka and Merti have begun burying the dead. The church is expected to keep pressing for a federal security presence in Arsi, and rights groups are likely to call for an independent investigation into the killings and into claims that security forces failed to intervene. GlobeHourly will update this report as official casualty figures and any claim of responsibility emerge.
Questions people are asking
How many people were killed in the Oromia attacks in Ethiopia?
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says 60 of its faithful were killed in two attacks in Arsi Zone on October 20 and 24, 2026. Residents and the monitor ACLED give lower counts of 43 to 51 for the larger October 24 attack, and the toll is still provisional.
Who carried out the attacks on Christians in Oromia?
No group has claimed responsibility. A local official blamed a rebel coalition that includes the Oromo Liberation Army, but this has not been independently established, and the OLA has previously denied attacking civilians.
Where is Arsi Zone in Ethiopia?
Arsi Zone is in Ethiopia's Oromia region, south-east of the capital Addis Ababa. Merti and Shirka, the two districts hit, are rural farming areas with a mixed Orthodox Christian and Muslim population.
