Witnesses say new fighting in Ethiopia’s Oromia kills dozens
Intense fighting between Ethiopian government forces and Oromo Liberation Army rebels in the country’s Oromia region has led to “several dozen” casualties in the past week, witnesses tell The Associated Press.
A witness in the West Wollega area town of Bila said he saw bodies scattered on the ground following an alleged aerial attack on Nov. 2 by what he described as a “small flying plane” or possible drone.
“It was a market day, and students were leaving school,” the witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. “I have lost count of the dead, but several dozen people were killed and injured.”
Witnesses in recent attacks in Oromia have blamed Ethiopian forces.
A priest in Bila said his church members buried 11 victims of what he described as a drone attack. He said hundreds of people were injured and sent to nearby hospitals.
The attack was followed by heavy fighting Sunday morning between Abiy's PP forces and the OLA in the town of Nekemte in the East Wollega area.
The spokesman for the Oromo Liberation Army, Odaa Tarbii, tweeted that the rebel group’s fighters “rescued over 120 political prisoners” during an operation in Nekemte on Sunday. It claimed “several regime military installations” there were destroyed.
The OLA asserts that it stands for the security and self-determination of the Oromo people.
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