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More than 60 people have reportedly been killed in attacks targeting Christian communities in three areas of Shirka district in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
The Church described the incident as one of the deadliest attacks in the area in recent years, with one church official calling it a “massacre”.
It said security forces arrived at the scene but were unable to stop the attackers.
A resident whose 75-year-old father was killed told BBC Amharic that the assault was an ambush.
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“We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions,” the resident said.
At least 20 houses were reportedly burnt down, while eyewitnesses said at least five children were among those killed.
The attacks have forced many residents to flee their homes, as authorities pledged to take action.
A local government official blamed the newly formed Alliance for Survival rebel coalition, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), for the violence.
The OLA has not commented on the latest allegations but has previously denied responsibility for similar attacks.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said attacks targeting Christian communities were increasing and undermining peaceful coexistence among communities.
In a statement, the Church said it had repeatedly raised concerns about the violence but that “so far there has been no solution”.
A report released in July 2026 by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council said 458 people had been killed in attacks in the area over the previous four years.
The report described a pattern of armed groups repeatedly targeting communities, particularly followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and characterised the violence as religiously motivated.
The Ethiopian government has previously accused the OLA of carrying out attacks on civilians and religious institutions. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said the violence forms part of efforts to destabilise the country.
The OLA, which says it is fighting for greater rights for the Oromo people, has rejected accusations that it is responsible for attacks on civilians.
Oromia has also experienced reported attacks against Muslim communities, with previous incidents highlighting the complex ethnic and religious dimensions of violence in the region.
Christians make up about two-thirds of Ethiopia’s population, most of them followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, while Muslims account for roughly one-third.
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