Update on incidents in villages neighboring Alem-Tena, Bora Woreda
(East Shewa Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia)
The Amhara Association of America (AAA) has confirmed that on Thursday, June 22nd, 2023, attacks were carried out against Amhara residents in villages neighboring Alem-Tena town of Bora Woreda (East Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia). In these attacks, 11 residents were killed after being taken captive, their properties were looted; and residential houses were burned. Based on information collected from residents and other informants, the perpetrators of the attack had been identified as members of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) militant group. Another attack occurred a few days prior to the June 22nd, 2023 attack in which two residents were taken hostage and were later killed by the OLA militants.
The largest attack was committed on June 22nd, 2023, at around 11:00 pm in a rural village commonly known as Bora-Mariam Kebele. In this attack, 11 individuals were killed. In addition to the claimed human losses, sources indicated that the perpetrators also looted a large number of cattle and other belongings from the residents, and they set fire to at least 13 houses.
A few days before this incident, another attack had been committed in the same village, in which two individuals were reportedly taken hostage by the OLA militants. It was later revealed the hostages had died at the hands of the militants.
In another rural village commonly known as Aura-Godana (Barta), sources reported that the OLA has continued to commit substantial attacks, resulting in the looting of properties and burning of residential homes belonging to Amhara residents. As a result, a large number of residents have been displaced from their villages to neighboring towns of Alem-Tena, Meki, and others.
Regarding the identity of the deceased in the aforementioned multiple attacks, sources reported that all the victims were ethnic Amhara. Three of the deceased, namely Tesfaye, Ashenafi, and Teshager, came from a single family, a father and his two sons, respectively. In addition, three brothers, Yohannes, Ocho, and Tenkir were among the victims (not related by father).
Below is the list of nine identified victims who were killed in the attack committed on Thursday, June 22, 2023, around 11:00 p.m.
Kasu Simon
Abule Legesse
Tekle (last name unknown)
Yohannes Alemu, estimated to be 16-year-old, primary school student.
Ocho Bayu (may be a nickname), estimated to be 17-year-old, primary school student.
Tenkir Gizachew, is a 25-year-old married young man.
Tesfaye Gebayehu, a farmer and father of the next two deceased victims
Ashenafi Tesfaye, a 27-year-old young man and the father of two children.
Teshager Tesfaye, a young man approximately 25-years-old and a father of one child. The names of two individuals who were killed in the same incident are yet to be identified.
The two residents who were taken hostage and later killed by the OLA militants a few days before the June 22nd massacre are identified below:
Bekalu Demissie is a young man estimated to be 20-years-old. According to sources, he was a resident of Alem-Tena town. A few days before the June 22nd incident, he had moved to Bora-Mariam Kebele (a rural kebele) for farming work. Unfortunately, while he was in this village, he was taken hostage by the OLA militants. The news of his death was disclosed towards the end of the week of the incident. So far, his body has not been found.
Mulugeta Eshetu is a young man, estimated to be 25-years-old. Similar to the above victim, he was taken hostage by the armed group a few days before the June 22nd incident, and it was at the end of that week that it was disclosed that the militants had killed him. But his dead body has yet to be found yet.