Over 20 civilian kidnappings in Abeshge Woreda fuel growing outrage as residents allege authorities fail to act
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — A rise in abductions, targeted killings, and violent attacks across the Gurage Zone in the Central Ethiopia Region has left local communities in distress, with residents reporting over 20 civilian abductions in Abeshge Woreda over the past week.
According to residents and local sources, recent abductions in Abeshge Woreda occurred after armed assailants intercepted public and private vehicles in Nacha town and raided surrounding residential quarters. The wave of kidnappings follows a fatal incident a week prior in which five people were abducted, resulting in the death of a prominent national elder. Relatives of the deceased elder disclosed that armed men intercepted his vehicle at 10:45 AM near Darge town—16 kilometers from Welkite—as he returned from a local meeting. Search teams comprising local residents later discovered his body in a nearby forest four days after his disappearance.
Local residents and relatives noted that while two individuals abducted alongside the elder were released after paying a 500,000 Birr ransom, two others were freed without payment after stating they lacked financial means. Local commentators expressed profound frustration with local authorities, alleging that woreda officials had identified the perpetrators prior to the elder’s death but failed to execute arrests or deploy local police to assist in search operations. Communities further voiced suspicions that armed bands operate with impunity or tacit backing from local administrative structures.
Security conditions remain volatile in Abeshge Woreda’s Walga and Darge areas, as well as surrounding parts of Sodo Woreda and Sodo Kistane. Residents noted that non-state armed groups utilize dense cornfield terrain to launch ambushes, execute ransoms, and carry out ethnically targeted attacks. Despite the establishment of a joint command post encompassing Abeshge Woreda and adjacent Oromia zones, local stakeholders emphasize that security measures and regional peace conferences have failed to halt the violence.
Official documentation from the Gurage Zone Security Institutions 2025/2026 Budget Year Summary Report underscores the worsening crisis in Abeshge Woreda, recording 58 total abductions (46 men and 12 women), three physical injuries, and 23 fatalities attributed to extremist armed groups operating in the area over the past year. Regional and zonal authorities, including Gurage Zone Chief Administrator Mebratu Weldemariam and Central Ethiopia Region Peace and Security Head Temesgen Kassa, have not issued official statements regarding the recent spate of violence.
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