At least 43 people have been killed and 18 wounded in attacks on Orthodox Christian churches and homes in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to residents and conflict monitor ACLED.

The attacks occurred on Saturday in villages in Shirka district, about 270 kilometres south of the capital, Addis Ababa. Residents and ACLED reported the casualties on Monday.

ACLED said the attack appeared to be religiously motivated and targeted Orthodox Christians. The violence reportedly triggered clashes with local militias that continued through Saturday afternoon and evening.

Residents gave varying accounts of the death toll. One said that 44 people had been killed, while another estimated the figure at 51. A deacon from one of the affected churches put the toll at 46.

“My sister and uncle were killed, and several of my relatives were taken hostage in Chole ward of Shirka district,” one resident told AFP by telephone, requesting anonymity.

The deacon expressed shock over the killings and called on the government to restore security. He added that some residents had sought refuge in nearby churches.

The Ethiopia Human Rights Commission said it was monitoring the situation but provided no further details. Independent verification of the reports remains difficult because of restrictions on media access in the country.

Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region, has experienced a prolonged insurgency and tensions among its Muslim, Protestant and Orthodox Christian communities. ACLED has documented an increase in attacks targeting Orthodox Christians in the region since February 2023, with incidents escalating since last year.

It remained unclear whether the latest attacks involved the Oromo Liberation Front, the main insurgent group operating in the region. Ethiopia continues to face multiple internal conflicts, including renewed fighting in the northern Tigray region.