Armed attackers have killed dozens of Orthodox Christian civilians in East Arsi Zone of Ethiopia’s Oromia region, burning churches, destroying hundreds of homes, and forcing hundreds of survivors to flee into surrounding forests, with violence that began days before the national election and continued through polling day on June 1.
Eyewitnesses and church authorities report that the attacks started on May 30 in remote farming communities around Teleta Gebriel, approximately 18 kilometers from Aseko town, before spreading across multiple districts including Aseko, Shirka, and Honqolo Wabe woredas. Armed men carrying rifles moved through villages targeting civilians, looting grain stores, livestock, and church property, and setting homes ablaze. Survivors said community members had appealed to local authorities for protection before the violence escalated, but that security forces promised on Monday never arrived. The attacks continued uninterrupted.
The death toll, as confirmed by church authorities, stands at a minimum of 13 named victims, ranging in age from 25 to 80, though eyewitness accounts from funeral gatherings suggest the actual number of civilians killed could exceed 40. Among those confirmed killed were elderly residents, working-age adults, and a local militia member. Separately, other credible sources place the toll at 37 or more. Addis Standard was unable to independently verify the higher figures.
The violence also devastated religious heritage in the area. The Teleta Saint Gabriel Church, a 101-year-old institution central to the local Orthodox Christian community, was burned to the ground. Kara Kuftena Medhane Alem Church was looted and destroyed. Worshippers fled on foot carrying the churches’ holy Tabots to safety while their homes burned around them. More than 280 households were displaced from Aseko Woreda alone, with many survivors now sheltering in open areas or hiding in the dense Arbagugu Forest. The fate of an unknown number of displaced families remains unclear.
Ethiopia’s Orthodox Patriarch, Abba Mathias I, issued a strong condemnation on June 3, calling on federal, regional, and local authorities to immediately end the cycle of violence and prosecute those responsible. “Break this chain of attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he urged. “History will judge you by the price you pay for the safety of citizens during your tenure.” The Patriarch described the attacks as an assault on both human life and religious freedom, and appealed to Ethiopians nationwide to stand in solidarity with affected communities.
The East Arsi attacks are not an isolated incident. In March 2026, more than 34 Orthodox Christians were killed in Shirka Woreda in the same zone, prompting condemnations from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, and the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council. In October 2025, church authorities documented the killing of more than 25 civilians in separate incidents across the zone. Despite repeated calls for accountability, no formal investigation or meaningful security response has followed any of these episodes.
Federal and regional authorities have yet to issue any public statement on the latest wave of violence. When contacted, the head of the Arsi Zone Communications Office said authorities had not yet received information about the killings and would investigate. The administrator of Honqolo Wabe Woreda offered a similar response, saying local officials had no information. Critics and church leaders argue that this pattern of inaction in the face of recurring, targeted violence amounts to a failure of the state’s most basic obligation to protect its citizens.
Sources: Addis Standard — Published June 2–3, 2026 | Borkena — Published June 2, 2026.
