More than 60 Christians killed in Ethiopia 'massacre', church official says
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reports that over 60 Christians were killed in a series of attacks in the Oromia region. Local officials have blamed the violence on a rebel coalition, while the church criticizes the government's failure to ensure security.
Why it matters
The massacre highlights escalating ethnic and religious tensions in Ethiopia, posing a significant challenge to regional stability.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Attacks against Christians have been increasing recently, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
More than 60 people have been killed in a series of attacks on Christians in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the country's Orthodox Church.
One resident, whose 75-year-old father was killed, described it as an ambush. "We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions," he told BBC Amharic.
The regional government said that it would take action against those responsible.
A local official blamed the attacks on a newly formed rebel coalition, the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has not commented but has denied carrying out previous such attacks.
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