More than 50 civilians, mostly from the Amhara ethnic group, were killed last Saturday in a targeted attack in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region, an official of the regional government said on Tuesday.
Shibeshi Bareda, deputy head of Bulen district administration confirmed the killing and blamed “extremist gunmen”, known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
He said the attack occurred in Bulen district by gunmen who entered the district around 5:30 am local time last weekend.
Expressing “deep condolences” for those killed in Bakuje locality, Bareda said the attack targeted ethnic Amhara residents in the district.
The death toll from this attack is expected to rise as many wounded victims are in life threatening condition, he said.
An eyewitness told APA that children as young as five years were among the victims and many of them were killed as they slept.
He said ethnic Amharas that settled in the area about 30 years ago in resettlement programmes are now being “killed like dogs”.
MG/as/APA