Ethiopian rebels attack around election, killing at least 56

Rebel attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region killed at least 56 people and injured 50 others around the country's June 1 parliamentary elections, witnesses told Agence France-Presse. The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which the government has labeled a "terrorist organization," had previously vowed to disrupt the vote. The government confirmed attacks but did not provide casualty figures. However, witness accounts paint a grim picture of the violence. Two witnesses from the Arsi area of Oromia described how OLA fighters attacked the village of Eleta Chefa, killing 11 people they knew. Another medical worker reported that multiple locations were attacked between May 31 and June 3, resulting in the reported casualties. The exact death toll remains unconfirmed by Agence France-Presse due to blocked access and limited official information. Survivors described fleeing for their lives, with one witness estimating up to 3,000 people evacuated the area. Homes, crops, and livestock were reportedly destroyed. The OLA has accused the Ethiopian government of inciting violence, while the government expects Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party to win the election.

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We were lucky to escape. The fighters hunted villagers with rifles.