(Aleteia News) A Christian aid organization, the Barnabas Fund, is reporting that since June more than 500 Ethiopian Christians have been murdered in door-to-door attacks in the Oromia regional state of Ethiopia.
According to the group’s report, “extremists arrived in cars and armed with guns, machetes, swords and spears, sought out and slaughtered Christians.” The attacks were reportedly in retaliation for the alleged assassination of a poplar Oromo singer and political activist, Hachallu Hundessa.
The attackers are said to belong to the Oromo ethnic group, which is largely Muslim. Some of the militants reportedly had lists of Christians and sought to kill anyone who had been particularly active in their church.
Witnesses told the Barnabas Fund that local police stood by and watched as the murders were committed, but that some Christians were reportedly saved thanks to the intervention of local Muslims who protected them.
The Barnabas Fund reported that local Christian businesses were also burned down, vandalized or destroyed.
complied by Tej Francis
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