Ethiopia church attacks kill at least 43, monitor says

At least 43 people were killed and 18 wounded when an unidentified armed group attacked villages in Ethiopia's Oromia state, residents and the ACLED conflict monitor told AFP.

The attacks took place on Saturday in Shirka district, about 270 kilometres south of Addis Ababa. ACLED said the attack appeared to be religiously motivated and targeted Orthodox Christians, adding that it led to clashes with local militias and lasted through Saturday afternoon and evening.

Two residents and a church deacon gave higher death tolls, putting the number killed at 44, 51 and 46. One resident said relatives had been killed and others taken hostage in Chole ward of Shirka district.

The state-run Ethiopia Human Rights Commission said it was following the situation. It was not clear whether the attacks involved the Oromo Liberation Front, the main insurgent group operating in the state.

ACLED said it had recorded increasing attacks against Orthodox Christians in the region since February 2023, with an escalation since last year. Some local people have taken refuge in nearby churches, the deacon said.