Ethiopia: Soldiers kill nine civilians in Oromia region March 11

Event

According to local media reports, on Sunday, March 11, Ethiopian soldiers killed nine civilians and injured 12 others after mistaking them for rebels in the Moyale area of the Oromia region. The soldiers were conducting a security operation against militants from the Oromo Liberation Front.

Several soldiers have reportedly been suspended from duty and are under investigation. A high-level military delegation had been dispatched to the area to launch an inquiry.

Related protests cannot be ruled out.

Context

Outbreaks of violence continue to plague the country, notably in the Oromia region. The Oromo Liberation Front is a secessionist group and considered by the government to be a terrorist organization.

On a related note, the Ethiopian parliament has ratified a state of emergency initially announced in mid-February following the resignation of then-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. A heightened security presence is thus to be expected across Ethiopian cities while the state of emergency remains in effect. Associated measures, implemented amid an increasingly tense security environment, include a ban on protests and on the production and distribution of publications deemed to incite violence. Activists in the state of Oromia launched a three-day shutdown strike on March 5 in protest.

Advice

Individuals in the Oromia region are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid any large gatherings and demonstrations due to the risk of violence, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities or their home government.