Over 60 Killed in Targeted Attacks on Ethiopian Christians

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has reported that at least 60 people were killed in a series of attacks targeting Christians in the Oromia region. According to the Church’s Holy Synod, 14 individuals died in the Merti district on October 20, followed by 46 deaths in the Shirka district on October 24. Witnesses described attackers using firearms and knives to target residents, including children and the elderly, while burning approximately 20 homes.

Church officials have characterized the violence as a massacre and expressed profound sorrow, calling on the government to ensure the protection of religious minorities and bring those responsible to justice. While the identity of the perpetrators remains unclear, the regional government has pledged to take action. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council has previously documented a pattern of violence in the region, noting that armed groups have repeatedly targeted Ethiopian Orthodox Christians over the past four years, resulting in hundreds of deaths.