Abo church massacre
On 5 March 2021, suspected Oromo Liberation Army gunmen attacked the village of Debos Kebele killing 29 civilians.
| Abo church massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the OLA insurgency | |
  East Welega East Welega (Ethiopia) | |
| Location | Debos Kebele, East Welega Zone, Oromia , Ethiopia |
| Date | 5 March 2021 |
| Target | Amhara people |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Deaths | 29 to 40[1][2] |
| Injured | several |
| Perpetrators |  Oromo Liberation Army (Denied) Faqadaa Abdiisaa (OLA Claim) |
Attack
On 5 March 2021, gunmen believed to be aligned with the OLA attacked the village of Debos Kebele. At Abo church, civilians had gathered to celebrate Lent. Suspected OLA soldiers then entered the town and stormed the church where they shot and killed the administrator of the church. Oromo fighters removed about 28 people from the church and then raped the women. They then took the group to a forest called Gerji where all 28 people including 21 women and 7 children were executed.[1][2]
Responsibility
Several witnesses claim OLA fighters carried out the massacre. The OLA soon released a statement on the attack claiming that they do not target people based on their ethnicity and that the attack was carried out by a rogue OLA splinter group led by Faqadaa Abdiisaa.[3]
References
- "NEWS: MORE THAN 40 CIVILIANS KILLED IN WESTERN OROMIA; REGIONAL GOV'T, OLA REBELS TRADE BLAME". addisstandard. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- "Ethiopia: News - Gunmen Who Storm a Local Church Kill 29 in Horoguduru, Western Oromia". All Africa. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- "Letter: "Our forces are absolutely not responsible" for recent killing in Horo Guduru: OLA Spokesperson". addisstandard. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.