Ethiopian military accused of committing massacre
On December 20th, 2018, at around 9am in the morning, armed men travelling by pickup truck killed eight civilians and injured an untold number while travelling through the Lalo Asabi district of West Wallagga.
According to eyewitnesses, the armed men disembarked from their vehicle and began to search houses demanding news about the whereabouts of Oromo Liberation Army units. When the victims failed to give them an answer, the armed men opened fire.
The local security affairs bureau released a statement saying that the civilian deaths occurred during an exchange of fire between “government soldiers and armed elements”. Eyewitness reports, including statements from victims’ families, contradict this and put the blame squarely on the National Defence Force, stating that the armed men were part of a military convoy heading towards the town of Dambidollo.
The Ethiopian army is currently conducting a military campaign against the Oromo Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Oromo Liberation Front.
Part of our on-going coverage of War in West Oromia
