Nairobi, Kenya (AP) – Witnesses in Ethiopia said Sunday that more than 200 people, mostly Amhara, were killed in an attack in the country’s Oromia region and accused a rebel group of denying it.
It was one of the deadliest attacks in recent memory as ethnic tensions continue in Africa’s second most populous country.
“I counted 230 bodies. “I fear this is the deadliest attack on civilians we have seen in our lives,” Abdul-Saeed Tahir, a Gimbi resident, told The Associated Press after barely escaping the attack on Saturday. “We bury them in mass graves and still collect the bodies. Now the Federal Army units have arrived, but we fear that the attacks will continue if they leave. “
Another witness, who only named Shambel because of his security fears, said the local Amhara community was desperately trying to move elsewhere “until the next round of mass murder.” He said the ethnic Amhara, who lived in the region in resettlement programs about 30 years ago, were “dying like chickens.”
Two witnesses blame the Oromo Liberation Army for the attacks. In a statement, the Oromia regional government also accused the OLA, stating that the rebels attacked “for disapproval of operations launched by security forces.”
OLA spokesperson Odaa Tarbi denied the allegations.
“The attack you are referring to was carried out by the regime’s military and local militia as they retreated from the Gimba camp following our latest attack,” he said in a statement to the Associated Press. “They fled to a place called Tole, where they attacked locals and destroyed their properties in retaliation for supporting the OLA.“ Our fighters did not even reach the area when the riots took place. -attack. “
Ethiopia is experiencing widespread ethnic tensions in some regions, most of them due to historical grievances and political tensions. The Amharic people, the second largest ethnic group in Ethiopia’s population of over 110 million, are often targeted in regions such as Oromia.
On Sunday, the government-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission called on the federal government to find a “lasting solution” to the killing of civilians and protect them from such attacks.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.