Gunmen killed 12 civilians in the Horo-Guduru Wellega zone in Ethiopia’s Oromia Regional State, eyewitnesses told local media.
The zone’s administrator Bekele Dechassa Tuesday confirmed the latest murder against ethnic Amhara people in the zone but cut the death toll to eight.
According to the eyewitnesses, six of the victims were killed in a church compound while the rest were murdered in a field in an ethnically motivated attack against the Amharas. Three and four years old children were among the victims.
The administrator blamed the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) for the attack.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently announced that the National Defense Forces and Federal Police are hunting those mercenaries engaged in the execution of civilians.
The announcement came after at least 186 civilians, largely children, women and the elderly were killed late last week by the rebel forces in an ethnically motivated attack in Bone locality, Gambel District, West Wellega zone in the restive Oromia region.
