Ethiopia: At Least 48 Civilians Killed in Weekend Attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia Region, Once Again

At least 48 people were killed and more than 31 others wounded in Chole and Birbo kebeles of Shirka Woreda, Arsi Zone. Residents described door-to-door shootings, stabbings, looting and heavy weapons. The attacks devastated two communities and forced many survivors to remain indoors.

The violence began on Saturday evening, 24 October, and continued into Sunday morning, 25 October. One resident said it lasted nearly six hours. Local people had organized nighttime watches, but attackers carrying AK-47 rifles and other weapons overwhelmed them.

The attacks ended only after the federal army deployed to the area on Sunday evening, according to a resident. Some wounded people were critically ill, and further burials were underway when residents spoke to Addis Standard. The reported attackers' identities and the role of local security forces could not be independently verified.

Oromia is one of Ethiopia's regional states. Arsi Zone is a larger administrative area within Oromia. Shirka Woreda is a district-level administration inside Arsi Zone. Chole and Birbo are kebeles, meaning smaller local administrative units within the woreda.

This hierarchy helps locate the attacks precisely. The reported violence occurred in Chole and Birbo, inside Shirka Woreda, in Arsi Zone, southeastern Oromia. Residents also mentioned nearby towns such as Gobesa, Sire and Kula. Hospitals in Gobesa and Shirka treated wounded people, while some patients were sent to Chanco.

The article does not explain the formal powers of each level. In general, several authorities may be involved in local security, policing and emergency response. That can make it important to identify which office received warnings, which forces were present and who responded. The article reports unsuccessful attempts to reach regional security and police offices.

The reported toll was at least 48 dead and more than 31 wounded, with some injuries described as severe or critical. The figures came from residents who attended the victims' mass funeral and spoke to Addis Standard. Additional burials were still underway, so the toll could change.

Residents said the victims included women, elderly people and at least six children younger than 15. Many of those killed were reportedly followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The accounts describe civilians being shot or stabbed inside their homes during door-to-door attacks.

The scale of the casualties overwhelmed the affected communities. Wounded people were treated in hospitals in Gobesa and Shirka, while some were referred to facilities as far away as Chanco. Addis Standard could not independently verify every detail of the casualty count, the victims' affiliations or the attackers' identities.

The Oromia Regional Government did not issue a detailed formal statement about the weekend attacks when the report was published. Hailu Adugna, the regional Communication Bureau head, attributed the violence to “Tsimdo,” saying it was trying to divert government attention and expand internal conflict.

Residents offered additional claims. One said local police supported the militias and that the attackers withdrew after the federal army arrived on Sunday evening. The article also mentions reports of a newly formed militia structure operating alongside existing regional security formations. It gives no verified command structure or mandate.

Important parts remain unresolved. Addis Standard could not independently verify the attackers' affiliations, the rumors about “Tsimdo,” the alleged police role or the reported militia structure. The federal army's deployment is reported, but the article does not detail its operations. Attempts to reach regional peace, security and police offices were unsuccessful.

The attacks left survivors terrified. Many stayed inside their homes or hid, and only a small number overcame their fear to attend the mass burial. Between 35 and 37 victims were reportedly buried first on Sunday, while the death toll later reached 48 and more burials continued.

The wounded received treatment in Gobesa and Shirka. Some were referred to hospitals as far away as Chanco, and some were in critical condition. The article does not report new displacement from these specific attacks, but it describes earlier Arsi attacks that drove hundreds into surrounding forests.

Religious property was also affected. Residents reported that a church in Digelu town was looted. The article links the latest killings to a wider pattern that included burning Teleta Saint Gabriel Church and looting Kara Kuftena Medhane Alem Church. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church had not issued a statement when published.

The article places the Chole and Birbo killings within a longer pattern of violence in Arsi Zone. It says previous attacks caused deaths, displacement and the destruction or looting of religious properties, particularly affecting Orthodox Christian communities. This background helps explain residents' fear and their concern about repeated attacks.

The article gives specific recent examples. Between 30 May and 1 June 2026, attacks around Teleta Gebriel in Aseko Woreda killed civilians and displaced hundreds into forests. Attackers also burned the historic Teleta Saint Gabriel Church and looted Kara Kuftena Medhane Alem Church. On 15 June, priest Abayneh Tebeqe was kidnapped from his farm in Shirka Woreda.

The supplied text ends during the kidnapping account. It does not establish a full record beginning in 2021 or 2022, nor does it provide complete details about the priest's case. It does show continuing insecurity, repeated religious-site attacks and unresolved questions about protection and accountability.

Ethiopia's security system includes federal forces, regional security bodies, police and local militias. The article shows these layers operating around the same violence, but it does not provide a formal chart of their powers. It mentions the federal army, local police, regional security formations and a reported newly formed militia structure.

For example, a resident alleged that local police supported the attackers. The same account said the attackers withdrew only after the federal army deployed on Sunday evening. Regional officials blamed “Tsimdo,” while the article says the alleged militia structure's mandate and chain of command could not be verified.

When several forces operate together, responsibility can become difficult to establish. Investigators must determine who controlled each unit, who received warnings and who ordered or failed to prevent action. In this case, regional offices could not be reached, and the reported affiliations, police role and militia structure remained unverified. The article therefore leaves accountability unresolved.