At least 60 Orthodox Christians have been killed in two separate attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region, according to the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
The church said 14 people were killed on October 20 in Gora Silingo, Angada Kebele in the Merti district, while another 46 were killed on October 24 in the villages of Tereta, Chole and Birbo in the Shirka district. Both districts are located in the Arsi Zone in central Oromia.
More than 20 people were seriously injured in the attacks. Twenty homes were burned to the ground. Eyewitnesses said five of those killed were children.
A church official described the attacks in the Shirka district as a "massacre", saying security forces arrived at the scene but were unable to stop the assault. Many residents have since fled the area.
The Holy Synod described the killings as "extremely tragic cruelty and suffering inflicted on our citizens." It said the attacks violated constitutional protections for life and religious freedom and threatened Ethiopia's tradition of peaceful coexistence among different faiths.
One resident, whose 75-year-old father was killed, described the assault as an ambush. "We were completely unprepared and had no prior knowledge. They surrounded us from all four directions," he said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. According to reports, a local official accused a newly formed rebel alliance, the Alliance for Survival, which includes the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), of carrying out the attacks. The OLA has not commented on the latest killings but has previously denied allegations of attacking civilians.
The Oromia regional government pledged to pursue those responsible. The government has previously blamed the OLA for similar attacks, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stating that violence targeting civilians and religious institutions was part of a plan to destabilise the country. The OLA, which says it is fighting for greater rights for the Oromo people, denies these allegations.
The Orthodox Church said attacks against Christians had been increasing recently and that "such actions undermine the country's values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence." In a statement posted on Facebook, the church said it had repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity with authorities at different levels of government, but that "so far there has been no solution."
The church called on government institutions to publicly condemn the attacks, strengthen civilian protection and ensure those responsible are brought to justice. It also urged security agencies to provide additional protection to affected communities and take preventive measures against further violence.
The Holy Synod announced it would seek discussions with senior government officials to address the security crisis. It directed Orthodox churches and monasteries worldwide to hold prayer services for the victims.
The killings come amid continuing insecurity in Oromia, Ethiopia's largest regional state, home to some 40 million people, where government forces have been battling armed groups for years.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council, a non-governmental organisation, reported in July 2026 that between 432 and 458 civilians had been killed in targeted attacks across the East Arsi area between 2021 and June 2026. The figures differ between the two reports. The council described the attacks as religiously motivated, with armed groups repeatedly targeting followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Previous reports have also documented attacks against Muslims in the area. Residents have described the violence as both ethnic and religious in nature.
About two-thirds of Ethiopians are Christians, mostly Orthodox, while one third are Muslim.
