Ethiopia: Attacks on civilians in Oromia

As reported by the Addis Standard on 12 March 2021: "A series of attacks in western Oromia regional state mounted by armed men against civilians since Saturday March 6 claimed the lives of at least 42 people so far, including women and children. The victims are members of the Amhara community living in various Kebeles (districts) of Horo Guduru, Eastern Wollaga zone of Oromia regional state." It is believed that many or most of the victims are Amhara ethnic group of Orthodox Christians, which prompted the Russian Patriarch in Moscow to send condolences on 12 March. The Oromo Liberation Army and the Ethiopian government have accused each other of launching the attacks. Yonas Dembele, World Watch Research analyst, comments: "The security situation in Ethiopia has been deteriorating over the last two years. There have often been killings based on ethnic identity and also, at times, religious identity. The March 2021 attacks in Oromia also contain both elements: Some believe that the civilians were killed because they belonged to the Amhara ethnic group, while others believe they were killed for being (Orthodox) Christians. Regardless of the motives, these are abhorrent crimes and there are calls on the government to increase its effort to protect such communities."