Ethiopia: Muslims murder at least 50 Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, burn down 101-year-old church
Everywhere that Muslims and non-Muslims live in close proximity, some of the Muslims do violence to the non-Muslims. Meanwhile, note that in the two reports below (not the X posts), there is not the slightest mention of the identity of the perpetrators. Their identity is clear, since the reports say that they were trying to stir up religious tensions by means of these attacks on Christians, but nowhere does either report dare to spell out the obvious. The whole world is afraid even to discuss Islamic jihad violence as what it is, and many remain eager to make excuses for it, pretending that it is something other than what it really is, and doing their best to disguise the fact that the perpetrators of the acts of violence in question were Islamic jihadis. This fear is one of the jihadis’ most powerful allies.
Ethiopia’s Oromia: 35 Christians killed in ethno-religious tensions
APA News, June 7, 2026:
At least 35 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians were killed in a latest wave of religious driven attack in Arsi zone of Oromia regional state, APA can report over the weekend.
The centre of the violence was in the East Arsi Zone targeting farming communities in remote localities around Teleta Gebriel, approximately 18 kilometers from Aseko town, and continued through the national election period on 1st June….
The latest flare-up began on 30 May in Teleta Gebriel, a remote area in Aseko District, and later spread to other regions. Incidents were reported in several districts, with militants of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) selectively beheading members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, burning villages and churches, and destroying properties.
The exact death toll is still unknown, but some reports suggest that 37 to 40 people may have died in the latest incidents and hundreds of others were displaced….
In a statement issued Friday, the Office of Ethiopian Prime Minister said the recent attacks, including the killing of civilians and destruction of homes and places of worship, were carried out with the clear intention to “inflame ethnic and religious tensions and deepen social divisions” among communities….
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The Ethio-Canadian Network for Advocacy and Support (ECNAS) Statement On Arsi Massacre
Borkena, June 9, 2026:
The Ethio-Canadian Network for Advocacy and Support (ECNAS) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the latest wave of killings, displacement, destruction of homes, and attacks on places of worship targeting Orthodox Christian communities in the East Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
Recent public reports indicate that the East Arsi Diocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church documented deadly attacks carried out by armed actors on May 31 and June 1, 2026, across rural villages in the Asko, Shirka, and Honqolo Wabe districts. According to Wazema, at least 13 Orthodox Christian followers were killed, more than 280 residents were displaced, and the historic Teleta Cheffa St. Gabriel Church was destroyed. Buildings belonging to Kara Kuftena Medhanealem Church were also targeted (wazema.substack.com). IDN-InDepthNews reports that “at least 37 Orthodox Christians were killed in Aleko Teleta district Tefa Kebele of Arsi zone, Oromia, on 1 June by an armed group, with others reported missing, while over 280 houses were burned down.” (indepthnews.net). The Reporter, citing a letter from the East Arsi Diocese to the Holy Synod, reported that nine Christians were killed on May 31 alone, 280 residents were evicted, and the 101-year-old Telata St. Gabriel Church was completely burned. The report also noted that casualty figures remain contested, with some sources claiming higher numbers (The Reporter Magazine).
These latest attacks are not isolated incidents. In March 2026, Borkena reported that 34 Orthodox Christians were killed over a four-day period in the Sherka and Merti districts, while others were injured, reported missing, or abducted, citing diocesan and church-affiliated sources (Borkena). Open Doors also reported that attacks in East Arsi in late-February claimed nearly 30 lives, including Orthodox Christians killed at a marketplace and inside a church. The organization further described a pattern of violence specifically targeting Orthodox Christian communities (Open Doors UK & Ireland).
ECNAS is gravely concerned that these repeated attacks appear to target civilians on the basis of their religious identity and, in many cases, their perceived ethnic identity….
Pakistani strikes kill 13 civilians in Afghanistan
Published 10 Jun, 2026 21:01 | Updated 11 Jun, 2026 11:12
An AFP report quoting an unidentified official in Khost said a strike on a house in Spera district killed nine and wounded 11. Residents of a neighboring province said a separate attack claimed three civilians in Barmal district. The deceased were all children, a resident said.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering armed groups that conduct cross-border raids and terrorist attacks, including the bombing of a mosque in Islamabad in February that killed more than 30 people. Afghanistan has, in turn, accused Pakistan of “unforgivable war crimes.” Low-intensity clashes have continued on the Afghan-Pakistan border despite the two nations agreeing to a truce in late March.
Islamabad has repeatedly said its strikes in Afghanistan are aimed at insurgents carrying out attacks on its territory and that it does not target civilians.
But a United Nations report published last month put the death toll of Afghan civilians at 372 in the first three months of this year. It said 397 people have been wounded in the conflict.
Pakistan partly attributes the strain in its relationship with Kabul to the latter’s increasing engagement with its longtime rival, India.
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