Ethiopia: Seven Dead, Eight Missing in Oromia’s Arsi Zone As Govt Forces Accused of Targeting Civilians

Addis Abeba — Seven individuals have been reported dead, and eight others are missing in Sadika Karsa kebele, Robe Didea district of Arsi zone, following an incident involving government forces on 10 October, 2024, according to local sources.

Residents and family members of the victims claim that government forces arrived in the village late in the evening and began rounding up civilians, accusing them of having connections with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

A family member, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, told Addis Standard that security forces came to their home at around 9:30 PM and demanded that Abdulaziz Abduljalil, a seventh-grade student, step outside.

“They accused him of being connected to OLA and ordered him into their vehicle. When we asked where they were taking him, they told us to stay quiet,” the family member said.

The same source reported that at approximately 2:00 AM, Abdulaziz was shot along with six others in the Amelama area of Sadika Karsa kebele. The victims were identified as Abdulaziz Abduljalil, farmers Husen Mama and Abdusalam Haji, Misaba Mahmud, and three students named Indato, Karso, and Sibe.

A resident of Sadika Karsa village told Addis Standard that the bodies of the deceased have not been allowed burial. “Mourning has been prohibited; one mother was even warned by government forces when she attempted to retrieve her son’s body,” the resident claimed.

Another local source alleged that following the killings, “government forces dressed four young men among the deceased in military uniforms and displayed them in the center of Sadika Karsa, falsely claiming they had killed OLA.”

Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters

Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox

Success!

Almost finished…

We need to confirm your email address.

To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.

Error!

There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The same resident reported that eight individuals–Kemal Umar, Anas Umar, Basir Majid, Salam Majid, Kemal Kaso, Mohamed Umar, Tajudin Muktar, and Mahmud Ali–are missing, with their whereabouts unknown.

Sources describe a deteriorating situation in the Robe district, citing “increased displacement of rural residents, violence, and mass detentions without due process.” One resident claimed, “The government forces beat anyone they saw on a motorbike, and they took any motorbike they found in the villages of the Robe district.”

This latest violence in the Arsi zone of Oromia region follows an August 2024 attack in Aseko district, where six civilians, including a local priest, were killed.

The militarized conflict between the OLA and government forces has plagued the Oromia region, leading to significant loss of life, alleged human rights abuses, and extensive disruption of civilian communities across the region.

ADVERTISEMENT