A wave of violence has swept through Ethiopia’s East Arsi Zone, leaving over 53 Orthodox Christians dead and thousands displaced.
Armed assaults began in late May, striking multiple districts and reducing more than 200 family homes to ash.
The historical 101-year-old Teleta Holy Gabriel Church was completely incinerated as defenseless residents fled into surrounding forests.
Misconceptions link the Orthodox faith strictly to the Amhara ethnicity, intensifying targeted violence against various Christian communities.
Survivors accused local authorities of failing to deploy federal forces in time, despite previous warnings about recurring attacks.
The government maintains a chilling silence, providing no public statement while state media offers limited coverage of the atrocities.
This absence of state intervention has sparked intense public suspicion regarding official negligence and complicity in the massacres.
Grave fears mount that the escalating rural insecurity will deepen inter-communal fractures and trigger a catastrophic broader war.
Humanitarian groups emphasize that immediate protection and credible, independent international investigations are essential to halt further bloodshed.