More than 60 Ethiopian Orthodox Christians have been killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Holy Synod has confirmed, in one of the deadliest episodes of violence against Christians in the area in recent years. The Ethiopia Orthodox Christians killed in the attacks were innocent worshippers, the Synod said, as it called on the authorities to protect civilians and bring those responsible to justice.
The confirmation came in a statement issued on Monday, 26 October, and reported by the BBC, which put the death toll at more than 60. The attacks took place in the Arsi Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region, on 20 and 24 October.
FAKTA
- Death toll: 60 Orthodox faithful confirmed killed by the Holy Synod — 14 in Merti on 20 October and 46 in Shirka on 24 October.
- Injured and destroyed: More than 20 people sustained severe injuries and 20 houses were burnt down, the Synod said.
- Children among the dead: An eyewitness told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children.
- Blame: A local official blamed a newly formed rebel coalition, the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The Synod’s statement did not name those responsible, and the OLA has not commented, having denied carrying out previous such attacks.
- Official response: The regional government said it would take action against those responsible.
- Church response: The Synod has called for public condemnation, civilian protection and justice, and announced prayers for the victims on 26 and 27 October.
Ethiopia Orthodox Christians killed in two attacks
According to the Holy Synod, 14 people were killed in Angada Kebele, in Gora Silingo in Merti Woreda, on 20 October. A further 46 were killed in Tereta, Chole and Birbo in Shirka Woreda on 24 October. The Synod described the killings as “extremely tragic cruelty and suffering inflicted on our citizens” and said the victims were innocent Orthodox faithful.
One resident, whose 75-year-old father was killed, described the Shirka attack as an ambush. “We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions,” he told BBC Amharic. A church official described the attacks on three areas in Shirka district as a “massacre”, saying security forces arrived at the scene but were unable to stop the assault.
Separate reporting by AFP on Saturday’s attack alone put the toll at at least 43 killed and 18 wounded in Shirka district, about 270 kilometres south of the capital, Addis Ababa, with residents and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED) cited. Some local accounts put Saturday’s toll higher. The Synod’s figure of 60 covers both the 20 October and 24 October attacks.
Who is blamed — and what remains disputed
A local official blamed the attacks on the Alliance for Survival, a newly formed rebel coalition that includes the OLA. The OLA has not commented on these attacks, but has denied carrying out previous such attacks. The government has previously blamed the OLA for attacks on civilians and religious institutions, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed saying such violence was part of a plan to destabilise the country — an allegation the group denies.
The Holy Synod’s statement itself did not say who was responsible. It said attacks against Christians had been increasing recently and that “such actions undermine the country’s values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence”. The Church said it had repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with authorities at different levels, but that “so far there has been no solution”.
A wider pattern of violence in East Arsi
The latest attacks come amid a broader pattern of reported killings and displacement in East Arsi, where Orthodox Christian communities have repeatedly been targeted. A July 2026 report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council documented hundreds of people killed in attacks in the area over the previous four years, according to the BBC. Previous attacks in the zone have also involved the destruction and looting of churches and the killing of clergy and worshippers, Addis Standard reported.
Residents who have spoken to the BBC on various occasions have described the violence in the area as both ethnic and religious in nature. Previous reports have also documented attacks against Muslims in the area. About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, mostly Orthodox, while about one-third are Muslim.
Church calls for protection and justice
The Synod called on government institutions to publicly condemn the killings, protect civilians and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice. It urged the authorities to uphold the constitutional rights to life and freedom of worship, and called on security agencies to give the affected communities special attention and protection until the security situation is resolved.
The Synod announced that its members would conduct a prayer of absolution on Monday, 26 October, at Menbere Patriarch Kidiste Kidusan Maryam Monastery, and directed that similar prayers be held in churches and monasteries of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church worldwide on Tuesday, 27 October, following the Divine Liturgy. It also said it would seek discussions with senior government officials and pursue sustained efforts to resolve the security crisis.
Offering condolences to the bereaved families, the Church prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed and called for measures to ensure that its faithful could worship and live without fear of further attacks.
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