Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – An armed attack on a public transport bus in Ethiopia’s Gambella region on May 17 left at least five people dead and seven others injured. The Gambella police commission reported that the bus, carrying 39 passengers from Dima city to Gambela city, was attacked by Murle militants from neighboring Sudan at approximately 7:00 AM local time.
The victims who lost their lives in the shooting were identified as Ali Ibrahim Hussein, 35, the bus driver; Ukelika Ubong, 25; Ajak Ugok, 25; and two students, Uwar Ajba, 21, and Yamed Ukur, 20. The injured are currently receiving medical treatment.
Cross-border raids by Murle ethnic groups, primarily from South Sudan, have been a persistent and deadly issue in Ethiopia’s Gambella region, often targeting members of the Nuer and Anuak communities. These raids frequently involve killings, the abduction of children, cattle raiding, and the destruction of property, causing significant human suffering and insecurity over the past decade. UNICEF reported in August 2024 that this “harmful practice of the Murle represents a huge risk for the inhabitants of the region, especially for the children who are forcibly separated from their families and likely to suffer abuse and ill-treatment.”
One of the most severe incidents occurred on April 15, 2016, when armed Murle militants from South Sudan attacked the Jikawo and Lare districts in Gambella. According to reports from BBC News and the Ethiopian government, this single attack resulted in over 208 deaths, the abduction of up to 100 children, and the theft of over 2,000 heads of cattle.
Recurring, smaller Murle raids were reported in Gambella from 2017 to 2023, involving the kidnapping of women and children, the burning of traditional houses, and livestock theft. Reports by the International Crisis Group and UN OCHA indicate that these incidents are a chronic source of insecurity, with local Ethiopian security forces often “ill-equipped to defend against the highly armed raiders.” UN OCHA records show these cross-border attacks as a primary cause of displacement and insecurity in Gambella, noting the extreme vulnerability of abducted and trafficked children and the lack of effective cross-border coordination in deterring such violence.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has consistently condemned these attacks over the years, urging greater regional cooperation and the establishment of conflict resolution mechanisms.
A 2018 report by the Small Arms Survey, “Real but Fragile: The Murle and Their Fight for Survival,” linked the violence to ethnic rivalries, easy access to small arms, and cultural practices of abducting children for bride prices.
__
Subscribe : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory Business Listing Toronto
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com