Over the weekend, three areas in Ethiopia’s Oromia region were swept up in a wave of suspected Islamist terrorist attacks, with 20 homes and two churches burned to the ground and more than 60 Christian residents killed in what witnesses described as ambushes. Townhall reports that security forces were unable to repel the assaults, and one official claims that the terrorist group Alliance for Survival was responsible.
This is the second high-profile terror attack on Christians in a matter of days. Last week, three gunmen opened fire on an Orthodox church in Jordan, leaving nine dead. Witnesses claim that the assailants were armed with AK-style rifles and could be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” as the attack began. An additional 40 others were injured in the attack.
Diocese of Winona-Rochester Bishop Robert Barron posted in response to the attack:
Friends, in just two days, Christians were murdered on two continents.
On Friday, gunmen opened fire on a funeral at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Karak, Jordan, and killed nine people. On Saturday, armed men attacked Orthodox churches and homes in Oromia, Ethiopia, and killed more than forty.
These are not statistics. They are our brothers and sisters, members of the mystical Body of Christ. When Saul set out to destroy the Church, the risen Jesus asked him, “Why are you persecuting me?” The Lord is still being persecuted in these victims of anti-Christian violence.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says that the Alliance for Survival is behind recent attacks on Christians and religious sites as part of a plot to destabilize the country. Although church leaders had previously raised security concerns with authorities, no solution was finalized. Sadly, Christian communities in Ethiopia continue to face violence and persecution. In July, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council reported that at least 432 Christians and four militia members had been killed in targeted attacks since 2022.
Ethiopia’s Christian community has endured killings, kidnappings, and displacement at the hands of those who persecute them for their faith. This is a pain that Israel and The Fellowship know all too well. We stand in solidarity with these communities and join in prayer for the victims’ families, those who have lost their homes, and all who continue to face persecution because of their faith.