In Ethiopia, militants killed six people and abducted 55 Christians

A series of armed attacks targeting the Christian population took place in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. As a result of the militants’ actions, at least six people were killed, and another 55 believers were abducted and taken to an unknown location.

According to reports, the first attack took place on October 7 in the Sherka area, where farmer Getu Assefa was killed right in his field. On the same day, armed men stormed into the homes of local residents, abducting dozens of people. Subsequent raids, recorded on October 15 and 17 in the Honkelo Wabe and Sherka areas, claimed the lives of five more believers. During one of the attacks, Father Nardos Assefa was seriously injured and is currently in the hospital.

Representatives of the Diocese of Eastern Arsi emphasize that the persecution of Christians in the region has been ongoing for more than seven years and has recently become more frequent. The head of the Ethiopian Church, Patriarch Abuna Matfei, stated that the security situation for believers remains critical, despite personnel changes in the country’s leadership. Ethiopian authorities blame the “Oromo Liberation Army” for these crimes. This incident adds to the list of tragic events in the region: earlier reports indicated that eight people were killed as a result of a drone strike on a local monastery.