Ethiopia: Suspected militants kill at least 150 people in Gida Ayana and Kiremu District, Oromia Region, in mid-August

Event

According to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), militants associated with Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) reportedly killed at least 150 people in several attacks on civilians in Gida Ayana and Kiremu District, East Welega Zone, Oromia Region, starting Aug. 18. The attacks were launched after security forces withdrew from the area. Ethnic-based reprisal attacks killed another 60 people. The militants have reportedly denied responsibility for the killing of civilians, claiming the attacks only involved OLA militants and Amhara militia.

Similar attacks are likely over the coming weeks. Local authorities may deploy additional security forces in the area to prevent further incidents and implement stricter security measures, including curfews, in areas affected by the violence.

Context

The OLA was designated a terrorist organization by the federal government in May alongside the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), whose rebel forces have been fighting government forces in Ethiopia's Tigray region since November 2020. The OLA and the TPLF announced in early August they would cooperate against government forces and their allies, including Amhara and Afar regional forces.

Since mid-July, hostilities between TPLF and Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allies have intensified on western, southern, and eastern fronts, and violence has spilled over into Tigray’s neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

The government has accused the OLA of massacring civilians in Oromia and Amhara regions. Clashes involving the two ethnic groups reportedly killed more than 300 people in March.

Advice

Consider deferring travel to the impacted area until the situation stabilizes. Avoid all military installations, administrative buildings, and strategic infrastructure that may be targeted for attack, including power stations and media, communications, and transport facilities. Persons in northern and western Ethiopia should liaise with trusted contacts before travel. Avoid all demonstrations, crowds, and concentrations of security personnel. Immediately depart the area if violence occurs or crowds form; take shelter in a secure building. Confirm routes, road access conditions, and destination security before conducting ground movements and when planning freight shipments. If traveling is unavoidable, do so in convoy and allow additional time to reach destinations due to potential roadblocks. Obtain satellite phones for emergency use; SMS messages are usually more reliable than calls when cellular networks are restricted. Register and maintain contact with your diplomatic mission.