Security forces in Oromia’s Shirka Woreda have detained dozens of mourners and responders following the October 24 massacres
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — Security forces in the Southeast Zone of Oromia Region have arrested more than 20 residents and mourners in Shirka Woreda following the October 24 massacres, according to a report by BBC Amharic, sparking widespread fear and outrage among local communities already reeling from coordinated ethnic and religious violence.
In the woreda’s main town of Gobesa, security personnel initiated a wave of arbitrary detentions, arresting at least 27 individuals—including women carrying infants—who had traveled to the area to rescue survivors, recover bodies, and participate in funeral rites, BBC Amharic reported. While church monitors reported that some detainees were released after days of interrogation, at least 13 individuals remain in custody without formal court appearances. Local administrative and security officials did not answer calls seeking comment on the legal grounds for the detentions.
Eyewitnesses and grieving family members reported that security forces targeted individuals who responded to emergency calls for help or attempted to bury victims laid to rest in mass graves following the raids in Birbiru Chole Kebele. Residents stated that security units surrounded homes late into the night, detaining individuals without allowing them time to eat or manage basic needs. Relatives of victims noted that they have been forced into hiding to avoid arrest, preventing them from properly observing traditional mourning customs or receiving visitors offering condolences.
Community representatives and local church leaders strongly rejected allegations by security agents claiming the detained residents had provided intelligence to armed actors or supported insurgent groups, describing the assertions as fabricated pretexts. Residents maintained that those detained are peaceful local farmers, tradespeople, and grieving relatives who came exclusively to bury their dead. The wave of post-massacre arrests has deepened the trauma of survivors, leaving communities isolated, fearful, and unable to seek justice or safety in the wake of the region’s escalating violence.
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