Survivors Report Mass Displacement, Village Burnings, and Starvation Fatalities as Secondary Offensives Strike Kelem Wollega Zone
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — Over 15,000 ethnic Amhara residents have been forcibly displaced, hundreds killed, and entire villages razed in East Wollega Zone, Oromia Region, following a wave of violent sweeps carried out by Oromia Special Forces, local Oromia militias, and Geda Commando units.
Driven from their properties, thousands of displaced civilians who fled the onslaught are now trapped in the dense “Ali” forest in Gida Ayana District. Survivors report that their homes were systematically looted and set ablaze, their farmland and crops destroyed, and their livestock slaughtered or seized by the deploying forces.
For the past 15 days, displaced families—comprising mostly mothers, young children, and elderly residents—have been sheltering under open skies in the forest without shelter, clean water, or medical supplies.
Access roads to the area remain strictly blockaded by security forces, while the neighboring village markets that once supplied basic food provisions have been burned to the ground. Trapped without emergency aid, families have been forced to survive by eating wild grass and seasonal leaves that sprouted during the rainy season.
The human cost of the blockade is escalating daily. Today alone, local sources confirmed the deaths of two children and one elderly person due to acute starvation and exposure. Eyewitnesses warn that up to 2,000 people risk perishing in the coming days if humanitarian corridors are not opened immediately to deliver food and medical relief.
As the famine crisis unfolds in Gida Ayana, a violent secondary offensive was launched against ethnic Amhara farming communities in Kelem Wollega Zone. Early this morning, armed regional units and allied militias entered “Village 17” in the Hawa Gelan District, opening heavy fire on civilian homes starting around 11:00 AM.
The sustained gunfire triggered hours of panic as residents fled into surrounding fields. Early reports indicate significant loss of life, widespread destruction of private property, and the burning of residential quarters. The area remains in a state of high tension and fear, with survivors cut off from emergency support.
Neither federal authorities nor the Oromia Regional Government have responded to requests for comment regarding the military operations, the destruction of civilian settlements, or the severe humanitarian emergency in the Ali forest.
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This story makes me very sad that innocent civilians are being murdered, wounded and displaced from their domiciles where they lived for generations. It makes me very mad that bigots and connivers had instigated all their troubles. Please head down on this same page to the video section where you will find a story of battle victory by a group. It is a group that has been fighting the regime including its own regional government for many years but does not have any locality it has permanently liberated. It has been waging war of bandits attacking soft targets. Then in the video we are being told it has defeated an army at a zone outside its region. Where was it when the government forces came back? It was all as usual like any banditry of hit and run to get media attention. Where is its ability to protect the very people it claims fighting for? It was all for publicity but at a heavy cost to innocent civilians who lost it all. Where was the much touted ‘Binzsmo’ invincible army? What’s new with any opposition group that chooses the violent form of struggle? This was a direct photocopy of what both the Eritrean liberation fronts, ONLF, TPLF and OLF were doing. Hit and run to force civilians into refugee camps to make recruiting new fighters so much easier.
This tragedy is taking place while another and even deadlier calamity is already devastating several communities in that country including the entire East African region. The weather phenomenon El-Nino is firmly in place and the forecast tells us it will only get stronger through half of the next spring season. Even then it may not go away completely and will be visiting us every summer during the following the two or three years. I am extremely worried for the people of that country. With armed conflicts continuing and possibly spreading coupled with poor preparedness, the 1984-85 killer famine can be in the offing. We are not talking about a country of 35-40 million people of the early 1980’s but close to 150 million today that keep multiplying like worms. It will be a tragedy unseen. Let’s hope and pray that will not be the case.
Rastafari hete in Jamaicacondemn this atrocity.The Lion of Judah hath prevail.today for you tomorrow for you.God and History will recall oromo and Abiye Ahamad gran mohammed Regime.
Until the philosophy which jolds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently descredit and abandoned there will be war.until the ignoble and unhappy regime which oppress our brothers and sistets in amhara, living in in oromo area,in wollega,in arsi, in south omo valley has been toppled utterly destroyed,there will be no peace.
Unti that day the dream of lasting peace national sovereign citizenship,the vision of national.moralitu shall be pursued but never attained..remaining a fleeting illusion.there will be no peace.rumors of war..
We diaspora ethiopians Rastafari will fight if we find it necessary.
And we know we shall win.As we Are confident in the victory of good over evil.
Rastafari here in Jamaica condemns this atrocity of Ethnic strife and ethnic cleansing in a time when critical racism and USA are struggling to make a solution.
.The conquering Lion of Judah hath prevail.today for you tomorrow for me.God and History will recall your oromo and Abiye Ahamad gran mohammed Regime”s judgement.
Until the philosophy which Holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently descredit and abandoned there will be war.until the ignoble and unhappy regime which oppress our brothers and sisters in amhara, living in in oromo area,in wollega,in arsi, in south omo valley has been toppled utterly destroyed,there will be no peace.
Unti that day the dream of lasting peace national sovereign citizenship,the vision of national morality shall be pursued but never attained..remaining a fleeting illusion.there will be no peace.rumors of war..until bigotry and prejudice and malicious self interest has been replaced by tolerance and good will there will be no peace.sub human bondage must be toppled uttetly destroyed.these words of Emperor Haile Selassie in united Nations general assembly 1965 on the agenda of Racial descrimination.we shall use that agenda to chant down oporession of 400 years of chattel slavery and we demand Reparitory justice in our Caribbean community(caricom) united alliance of countries .Africa for the africans at home and abroad as said my Marcus Mosiah Garvey
We will fight if we find it necessary.
And we know we shall win.As we Are confident in the victory of good over evil.