The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) issues this statement to strongly condemn the ongoing mass killing, imprisonment, torture, and systematic displacement of the Oromo people by Ethiopian government forces and allied militias, including the Amhara “Fano” group.

We are more alarmed than ever by the horrific war crimes being perpetrated. For the past seven years, democracy has been extinguished in Oromia, and the fundamental right to life has been obliterated. Our people are subjected to a campaign of terror, marked by land theft, explosions of violence, and the brutal suppression of any opposition. The existence and resilience of the Oromo Liberation Army is a direct consequence of this relentless persecution.

Recent Atrocities in Arsi Zone

Based on confirmed reports from October 28, 2025, in the Southeast Oromia Zone of Arsi, the government army (RIB) has committed numerous atrocities against civilians:

· In Jawi Kebele, Ona Shirka, 14 innocent people were executed without cause.

· On the border of the Wabe River, two young schoolchildren, who were not of an age to be involved in the conflict, were killed by government soldiers and their bodies thrown into the river.

· In Gobessa town, three youths were killed and their bodies dumped.

· In Honqolo Wabe, Baqaqsa Kebele, five individuals were executed by government soldiers and discarded in a field.

· In Arfatu Kebele, two children who were building a statue for their father’s grave were abducted. They were later found killed and thrown into a water store near Tulu Biyo.

Across the entirety of South Eastern Oromia, the systematic imprisonment, beating, robbery, and burning of villages and homes are the deliberate work of the government army. These reports illuminate a pattern of state-sanctioned violence that we are duty-bound to expose.

Political Persecution and Arbitrary Detention

Alongside these killings, our members and supporters are being arbitrarily imprisoned for their political beliefs. Among the many suffering in detention are:

· Jal Abbu Obse, who has been suffering in Ona Dugda prison for over a year without adequate healthcare.

· Comrade Abdulsalam Ona Sude, jailed for nine months alongside his wife and daughter.

· Comrade Taha Mamad Ona Robe, who is currently imprisoned in Ona Robe.

A Pattern of War Crimes

The actions of the government and affiliated militias over the past seven years constitute severe war crimes. These include burning homes, desecrating corpses by carrying them on donkeys, hanging bodies from trees, prohibiting burials, feeding the dead to hyenas, and looting and driving away the cattle of our people. These are the documented tactics of the “Bilthigina” and “Fano” forces.

Government Incitement and Intent

The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, stated in Parliament on October 28, 2025, that “The war held in Tigray is not greater than the one held in Wollega,” while dismissing the conflict in Tigray as “baseless and useless.” This rhetoric is a stark admission that the government has consciously pursued a war of even greater intensity in Oromia. It confirms that the federal government’s true war is not in Tigray, but against the Oromo people. We believe this public declaration confirms the brutal campaign they have long waged in the shadows.

Our Position and Call to Action

The Prosperity Party (PP) government continues to kill civilians with impunity. The OLF reiterates that a nation cannot be led by violence and madness, nor by slandering its own people. A system that sustains itself by such means is illegal and must be held accountable.

The war the government is facing is a war against the broad Oromo populace. The Prime Minister’s own words prove that the conflict in Wollega—the heart of Oromia—is their primary focus.

Therefore, we call upon:

1. Our Oromo People: We urge all Oromos, especially our diaspora communities in neighboring countries and abroad, to become the voice for those being slaughtered day and night. We call on you to stand in unwavering solidarity with our people.

2. The International Community: We appeal to all believers in human rights, the United Nations, the African Union, international human rights organizations, and the global community to condemn the war crimes being committed against the Oromo people. We demand you exert necessary pressure on the Ethiopian government to:

· Immediately cease all attacks on civilians.

· Release all political prisoners held without charge.

· Allow unfettered humanitarian aid to reach affected populations.

May God have mercy on the souls of our people who were so brutally killed, and may He grant patience and strength to their families and all Oromo people.

A Victory for the People!

Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)
Finfinne | October 30, 2025