Armed men kill at least 48 civilians in Oromia, residents say

Armed men killed at least 48 people and wounded more than 31 in Ethiopia’s Oromia region from Oct. 24 to Oct. 25, residents told Addis Standard in an article published Monday.

The reported deaths deepen insecurity in Arsi Zone, where the Ethiopian Human Rights Council said in July that at least 432 civilians and four local militia members had been killed since 2021/2022.

The attacks hit Chole and Birbo kebeles, local administrative areas, in Shirka Woreda, a district in southeastern Oromia, according to residents who said they attended a mass funeral for the victims. They said those killed included women, elderly people and at least six children under 15.

“Armed men were going door to door shooting and stabbing civilians,” one resident said, according to Addis Standard. The resident said neighborhood watch groups had been unable to stop attackers carrying AK-47 rifles and other weapons.

Residents said the violence lasted nearly six hours, and some survivors remained inside their homes because of fear. They also reported looting at a church in Digelu town and said heavy weapons were used during the attacks.

The first 35 to 37 victims were buried in a mass grave on Sunday, according to two residents cited by Addis Standard. They said additional burials were still taking place when they spoke to the publication, and some of the wounded were in critical condition.

The injured were being treated at hospitals in Gobesa and Shirka, while some were sent to facilities as far away as Chanco, according to the residents’ accounts.

The Oromia Regional Government had not issued a formal statement specifically on the weekend attacks by the time Addis Standard published its article. Hailu Adugna, head of the regional Communication Bureau, gave brief remarks to state media acknowledging loss of life and property damage and attributing the violence to “Tsimdo.”

Adugna said “Tsimdo, facing mounting losses, was attempting to divert the government’s attention and expand internal conflict.” Addis Standard said he did not give a death toll, describe the circumstances of the killings or detail the response by security forces.

Addis Standard said it could not independently verify residents’ allegations about rumors before the attacks, the attackers’ affiliations or the role of local security forces. Attempts by the publication to contact regional peace and security and police offices were unsuccessful, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church had not issued an official statement at publication time.

The area has seen repeated violence against civilians. Addis Standard cited earlier reporting on attacks between May 30 and June 1 around Teleta Gebriel in Aseko Woreda that killed civilians, displaced hundreds into nearby forests and involved the burning or looting of churches.

The publication also cited the June 15 killing of Abayneh Tebeqe, a priest at Gado Saint Mary Church in Shirka Woreda, and an Aug. 13, 2024, attack in Tijo village that left six civilians dead and three injured. Responsibility for past killings has remained unclear, with officials previously attributing some attacks to the armed group they call “OLF/Shene.”

Source: article, Addis Standard via AllAfrica, Oct. 26, 2026