Sixty people were killed in two attacks that targeted Christian communities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region in late October.
Fourteen deaths were recorded in the Mersi district of Arsi Zone on 20 October, and a further 46 in Shirka district, also in Arsi, on 24 October.
Eyewitnesses reported that fighters went from home to home, attacking residents with guns and knives. A church building was damaged and 20 houses burned down.
In a statement, Ethiopian church leaders condemned the “horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage” inflicted upon Christian communities, which “have continued unabated and have been worsening over time”.
No group has claimed the attack. The Ethiopian authorities have accused a rebel coalition made up of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara Fano militias and the Oromo Liberation Army, but this remains unconfirmed.
The motive for an attack targeting Christian communities is unclear.
In recent decades, the Ethiopian Church has increasingly been viewed as representing political repression and ethnic privilege.
Communal and political tensions in Ethiopia have often led to armed conflict and terrible bloodshed.
The current hostilities began on 23 September as TPLF forces attacked three national airports in Tigray.
Security experts have warned that the conflict may spill over into neighbouring countries. The coalition accused of carrying out the massacres allegedly has the backing of both the Eritrean government and the Sudanese Armed Forces, one of the warring parties in the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
How you can pray
Ask the Lord, who gives eternal life to all who trust in Him, to comfort the bereaved, heal the wounded and meet the needs of the displaced. Pray for a peaceful resolution to the conflict that will safeguard the rights of all communities, preserve the safety of our brothers and sisters, and prevent further escalation of wars across the wider region.
