At least eight civilians lost their lives in a massacre as they returned from the annual
The violent episode occurred at the entrance to Metehara, a town in the
Eyewitness accounts also verify the abduction of ten more individuals by an armed group during the assault that took place late on Friday night.
The festival honoring
Despite the peaceful attendance of devotees at this year's religious festival, not all were able to return to their homes in peace. The toll of the recent violence includes
A relative, who wished to remain anonymous, confided to Addis Standard, "Desalegn and several others from our neighborhood were slain on their way back to
The family member disclosed that the incident encompassed a group of 19 individuals voyaging in an
"Local authorities informed us that the victims had been interred en masse, and the remains could not be returned to their families," he said. The source revealed that the armed group had abducted at least 10 individuals and inflicted injuries on other survivors, who are presently undergoing medical treatment.
The relative further stated that Desalegn and others encountered an armed faction at Welenchiti town on their initial trip from
Another individual who survived the ordeal, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns, recounted to Addis Standard his journey from Kulubi to Arbaminch when the assault took place, roughly 10 kilometers from Metehara.
Recounting the traumatic event, the survivor said, "We were set upon by an estimated 40 armed assailants who torched vehicles and fired upon Orthodox adherents coming back from the
The survivor further emphasized that the armed group had targeted several other vehicles both before and after their own encounter, signifying an attack of a broader scale.
The police department of the Fentale district in the
According to the district police authorities, the incident tragically resulted in six fatalities, whose bodies were burned while they were inside a vehicle. The deceased were interred by federal military forces in cooperation with the Oromia police.
According to the police, the attack reportedly involved two vehicles: an
The family of the deceased has formally requested the release of the bodies. Nonetheless, the district police have indicated that they are unable to comply with this request, citing difficulties in recovering the remains.
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