Security

EHRC Reports 48 Killed in Attack in Former Arsi Zone

AI SUMMARY

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported that 48 people were killed and 20 others injured in an attack by armed groups in the former Arsi zone.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported that 48 people were killed in an attack in Birbo and Chole Kebele, Sirka Woreda, in the Southeast Zone of Oromia Region.
The attack took place on October 25, 2026, between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
The attack was carried out by an armed group identifying itself as OLF-Shane entering the kebele from four directions.
Fatalities confirmed by the commission include 23 kebele-level security personnel, 5 militia members, and 13 civilians.
An additional 7 civilians were killed by informal armed individuals in the area.
The OLF-Shane armed group injured 20 people, burned down 21 residential homes, displaced 247 families, and looted an unspecified number of livestock.
EHRC Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adello called on the government to provide effective protection, restructure local security arrangements, and strengthen early warning systems.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church previously announced that 60 of its followers were killed in two woredas in Arsi on October 21 and 25.
The church reported that 20 homes were completely burned down and over 20 people sustained serious injuries despite repeated discussions to resolve the problem.