The rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-Shene) has launched what residents called ‘massive attacks’ against civilians in Chungi, Roba and Mero localities in Jimma Zone Limu Seqa district in Oromia Regional State.
The attacks come two days after residents of the Jimma zone denounced OLF which calls itself Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) as enemy of the people in the region and pledged to expose its associates within the community.
The rebel force has killed an undisclosed number of civilians, burned residential houses and kidnapped individuals including government officials, the residents told local Ahadu Radio.
The government has deployed security forces including the National Defense troops to stop the attacks which, however, were taking place in the other part of the zone.
“Majority of the insurgents disappeared in the nearby forest after they had carried out the attacks and members of the National Defense Force were trying to comfort and resettle those people who had fled their living areas,” the residents added.
It is not clear if the attacks had targeted non ethnic Oromo people.
