Ethiopia’s Bishops Condemn Deadly Attack Near Catholic Parish, Call for Government Protection

“The Catholic Church strongly condemns these inhumane acts and calls on the government to take immediate and necessary legal measures to ensure the safety and security of all citizens,” the CEBCE members say.

They pray that those who lost their lives in the tragic incidents “may find eternal rest.”

The Bishops further express “heartfelt condolences to the entire Catholic community, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, all Ethiopians, and the affected families, asking the Creator to grant them true consolation and comfort in this time of grief.”

On October 27, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) reported that more than 25 civilians were killed in East Arsi Zone, Oromia regional state, in October 2025 alone, APA News reported.

The report further indicates that the majority of the victims “were Christians apparently shot dead or fatally stabbed by unknown gunmen.”

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The statement also quoted a report received by the church on October 28, suggesting that “five people were killed in Honqolo Wabe (Siltana) district.”

APA News further reports that three civilians were killed and four others abducted in what eyewitnesses described as a “religious-motivated attack” carried out by “unidentified gunmen” around 10:00 p.m. on October 27, in Hela Zibaba Kebele, Shirka Woreda, East Arsi Zone of Oromia Regional State.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.