Attacks against Christians have been increasing recently, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
More than 60 people have died in coordinated assaults targeting Christian communities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
A survivor whose 75-year-old father was among the victims told BBC Amharic that the assailants surrounded residents from every direction, leaving them with no warning or opportunity to prepare for the attack.
The regional administration has pledged to pursue those behind the violence. However, a local government representative accused a recently established insurgent alliance, known as the Alliance for Survival, which reportedly includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
The OLA has yet to respond to the latest allegations but has previously rejected accusations of involvement in similar incidents.
According to the Church’s Holy Synod, approximately 20 homes were destroyed by fire during the assaults.
A religious leader characterised the incidents in three communities within Shirka district as a massacre, adding that security personnel reached the affected locations but failed to prevent further bloodshed.
The violence has forced numerous inhabitants to abandon their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.
In a statement, the Orthodox Church denounced the killings, warning that hostility towards Christians had intensified in recent months. It said the attacks threatened Ethiopia’s principles of tolerance, solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
The institution also disclosed that repeated appeals to government officials at various administrative levels had failed to produce an effective response to the deteriorating security situation.
A July 2026 report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council documented 458 fatalities resulting from violence in the affected area over four years.
The latest incident, however, ranks among the deadliest recorded during that period.
The rights organisation noted that armed factions had persistently targeted vulnerable populations, particularly members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, in assaults believed to have religious motivations.
Authorities have previously accused the OLA of orchestrating similar incidents. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has alleged that attacks on civilians and religious establishments form part of a broader strategy to destabilise the nation.
The rebel organisation, which claims to champion greater political and social rights for the Oromo population, has consistently dismissed such accusations.
Meanwhile, earlier investigations have documented assaults against Muslim communities in the same region. Interviews conducted by the BBC with local inhabitants suggest that the unrest involves both ethnic rivalries and religious tensions.
Christianity remains Ethiopia’s largest religious affiliation, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the population, predominantly Orthodox believers, while Muslims constitute roughly one-third.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong