Upto 320 killed in Ethiopia gun incident

The death toll from militant attacks rose in the Oromia region of western Ethiopia, and new witnesses are estimated to have killed 260 and 320 civilians on Saturday.

Reports of the genocide came on Sunday when survivors described one of the bloodiest events in Ethiopia in recent years. Prime Minister Abi Ahmed has condemned the “atrocities” in Oromia but declined to comment on the violence.

“Attacks on innocent civilians and the destruction of livelihoods by illegal and disorderly armed forces will not be tolerated,” Avi wrote on Twitter, promising that “the main goal is to bear the atrocities that threaten the community.”

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Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, Oromo, and another community, Oromia, have suffered for years in protests over political marginalization and central government indifference. Abioromo was the first head of the Ethiopian government, but there are also claims that he betrayed the public interest. Two residents described the attack on Saturday, saying the victims were Amhar, an ethnic minority in the area.

There are no reports that the attack was directly linked to the conflict in the North Tigray region, which began in November 2020 and resulted in thousands of lives and millions displaced. The attack took place in the Gimbi region of the Volga region of western Oromia. One resident said 260 people had died and another said 320 people had died. Residents refused to give their name for security reasons.

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“So far I have buried 260 people, and I have been involved in collecting and burying their bodies. I buried them on the farm. “We buried 50 to 60 bodies in separate graves,” said one resident. He escaped by hiding in a ditch, but said he lost four brothers and three grandchildren in the attack. Other residents said the attackers were Oromo people from a group called the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

“It was the Amhara massacre,” he said, adding that he escaped by hiding in the woods and heard the attackers speak Oromo. Ethiopia is facing widespread ethnic tensions in many regions, many of which are linked to historical protests and political tensions. Amharic, the second largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, with more than 110 million people, are frequently targeted in areas such as Oromia. Will Davison, an Ethiopian expert at the International Crisis Group, said the situation in Oromia was deteriorating.

“The problem has political roots and shows no solution. So far, that means more violence on both sides, “said Davidson.