Ethiopian Orthodox Church says 60 Christians killed in two attacks in Oromia's Arsi area

As of 8:55 a.m. ET, Oct. 27, 2026

At least 60 people were killed in two attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region in the past week, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church says. The church said all of the dead were Christians.

In a statement issued Monday, the church's Holy Synod said 14 believers were killed in Merti district on Oct. 20 and 46 in Shirka district on Oct. 24, both in the Arsi area, Reuters reported. Reuters said the statement put the number of homes burned at more than 20 and said more than 20 people were hospitalized with severe injuries. The BBC reported that the statement said 20 houses were burned to the ground. The church did not say who carried out the attacks.

A resident whose 75-year-old father was killed described the attack as an ambush. "We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions," he told BBC Amharic. Eyewitnesses told BBC Amharic that five of those killed were children. A church official called the attacks on three areas of Shirka a "massacre" and said security forces arrived but could not stop the assault, the BBC reported.

Blame disputed

The Oromia regional government said a rebel alliance carried out the attacks to try to spark religious conflict, Reuters reported. It did not provide evidence. A source linked to the alliance told Reuters the regional government carried out the killings, citing conversations with two residents.

The Oromo Liberation Army, which the regional government has blamed for earlier attacks on Orthodox Christians, did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. The BBC said the OLA has denied carrying out previous such attacks. Reuters said the OLA is one of seven armed groups that announced last month they had formed an alliance to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The regional government said it would take action against those responsible, the BBC reported.

What is not known

Who carried out the attacks has not been established, and no group has claimed them. The death toll is the church's own count. It has not been confirmed by federal or regional authorities, police or the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. How the victims died and the exact number of homes destroyed are not clear.