Dozens Killed, Homes Burnt by Armed Group in West of Ethiopia

Ethiopian officials said today, Monday, that armed men have killed dozens of people and burned more than 120 homes in a surprise attack on an area in the western areas of Ethiopia.

The attack caused displacement of hundreds of people who fled the scene.

Elias Umita, the governor of Wolega district, told Reuters that the killings were carried out by an armed group called "O L F Shin" in the western region of the Oromia region.

He added the local authorities have buried 32 of them today.

Between 700 and 750 people have been displaced from the area.

Today, the National Human Rights Commission in Ethiopia confirmed the news.

The Ethiopian commission released a statement saying that "an active armed group in the restive Oromia region killed at least 32 civilians in the weekend massacre but the real number may be higher."

Sheen split from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition party that spent years in exile but was allowed to return to Ethiopia after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018.

Sporadic violence has rocked Ethiopia since then.

Sheen says it is fighting for the national rights of Oromo ethnicity, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia.

However, Umita said there was no immediate known motive for the killings.

On the other hand, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wrote a post on Facebook to denounce what he said was "killing people on the basis of identity.", warning that Ethiopia's enemies pledge to either rule the country or destroy it, and they are doing everything in their power to achieve this.

"One of their tactics is to arm civilians and to carry out barbaric attacks on the basis of identity," he said.

On his part, the Oromia Communications Office said in a statement, before the number of victims was revealed, that "a brutal terrorist attack was carried out yesterday, in Goleso, affiliated to Western Luleega, which resulted in civilian casualties.

Women, children, the elderly, and youth were killed, kidnapped, and injured.

However, the European Union (EU) has expressed its concern about the developments in the situation in Ethiopia.

Joseph Borrell, the highest representative for policy and security in the EU called on all parties, as well as Ethiopia's neighbors, to work to reduce tension, stop incitement and refrain from military provocations.