A significant number of children, elderly individuals, and women were tragically killed by armed groups in the villages of the Shirka district in the East Arsi zone of the Oromia region between December 17, 2024, and December 6, 2024, as reported by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC) yesterday on December 10, 2014.

EHRC revealed that numerous individuals lost their lives in these villages under brutal and inhumane circumstances. The EHRC specifically listed 21 kebeles in the Shirka district of the East Arsi zone where the killings occurred.

Furthermore, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council announced plans to conduct additional investigations promptly and urged the government to prioritize addressing the ongoing human rights violations in the Oromia region.

EHRC called upon both the federal and Oromia regional governments to address the escalating human rights abuses in the area and to uphold the people’s right to live in peace. Additionally, EHRC requested these governments to take proactive measures to prevent future attacks and to swiftly respond to incidents as they arise.

The report also mentioned that women and elderly individuals were among the victims of the attacks, with witnesses attributing the violence to the “Oromo Liberation Army.”

Jregna Gudeta, an advisor to the commander of the Oromo Liberation Army, stated that he was not aware of the details concerning the case and denied the involvement of the Oromo Liberation Front in the killings during his statement to VOA.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, two servants of the Holy Gebriel Christ Church in Dodola, within the West Arsi Diocese, were tragically killed alongside their entire families by unknown gunmen. The report included

The Minister of the church in the Eastern Arsi zone revealed that targeted attacks against the church and its congregation have been ongoing since September 2023. The report further highlighted that over 80 individuals have lost their lives in the area since the attacks began.