Ethiopia.. At least 11 civilians were killed in attacks launched by gunmen

At least 11 civilians were killed by gunmen over a period of days in Ethiopian Oromia region, according to what eyewitnesses told Agence France-Presse on Saturday.

A witness residing in Arsi district, about 170 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, said that gunmen carrying rifles attacked his village of Elita Chifa at the end of May and"They killed 11 people I know personally in the attack"

A second witness confirmed the toll of attacks carried out between May 31 and June 3 in several villages, and said: "My house was completely burned in the attack, and my crops and livestock were looted. Today I have nothing left except the shoes and clothes I wear"

Oromo Liberation Army

The two witnesses held the Oromo Liberation Army responsible for the attacks, and a third witness, who works in a medical institution and transported victims from several villages, counted 56 dead and 50 wounded.

He said he expected "The toll will rise further, as many people are still displaced and dispersed in the forests, hiding in churches or staying with their relatives."

For its part, the federal authorities accused the Oromo Liberation Army of carrying out the attacks, without revealing a death toll, and the Oromo Liberation Army had announced its intention to disrupt the parliamentary elections that were held on June 1.

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