AAGE — Amhara Advocacy Group in Europe
Documentation, research and advocacy for civilian protection in Ethiopia's Amhara region.
AAGE — Amhara Advocacy Group in Europe
Documentation, research and advocacy for civilian protection in Ethiopia's Amhara region.
This database documents attacks on the EOTC specifically — the country’s largest church and the primary target of the current escalation. Other communities have also suffered attacks; our methodology records them too.
The Diocese of East Arsi listed its dead by name.
This page is where that record lives.
Dot size follows the documented toll; the colour deepens with each period. Locations are approximate — five points are deliberately coarsened to protect active congregations.
One documented incident: a state demolition. The U.S. religious-freedom report records no attacks on places of worship in Oromia that year.
The first waves: Somali region, Jijiga, Sidama, Metekel, the post-Hachalu killings. Worship under attack from several directions.
The war reaches the sanctuaries: Aksum, Dengelat, Debre Damo, Abo Church. At least 78 priests reported killed in Tigray.
Frequency and intensity converge on Arsi. The deadliest documented event is the one still unfolding.
At least 11 of the 38 documented incidents struck worshippers during a feast, a service, or a religious procession.
Timkat 2019, 2020, 2022 · Meskel 2019 · the feast of Tsion Maryam 2020 · the first day of Lent 2021 · a night liturgy 2022 · Sunday services 2023 and 2026 · a baptism procession 2024
It has a name, an age, a congregation. Fifteen sites are currently on record; six are shown here.
Founded 1925 — 101 years old.
Burned to the ground on June 1, 2026, during the East Arsi wave.
Oromia · East Arsi diocese
Founded in the 6th century. Reachable only by rope, up a 15-metre cliff.
Bombed and looted in January 2021. One monk killed.
Tigray · Tigray diocese
Founded in the 4th century. Traditional home of the Ark of the Covenant.
Hundreds killed in Aksum on Nov 28–29, 2020, including worshippers; an attack inside the church itself remains disputed.
Tigray · Aksum diocese
Ancient monastery of East Gojjam.
Shelled for five consecutive days in May 2023 while sheltering ~600 people.
Amhara · East Gojjam diocese
Rock-hewn church of the Tigray highlands.
Worshippers fired upon during the feast-day Mass of Tsion Maryam, Nov 30, 2020. Dozens killed.
Tigray · diocese
Parish church of the Sidama zone.
Burned in July 2019. Photographed in ruins by AAA field researchers.
Sidama · diocese
Kesis Abay Melese
Priest. Stoned to death on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, March 24, 2023. Security forces seized witnesses’ phones and deleted the recordings. — Mahibere Kidusan, Borkena, U.S. State Department IRF Report 2023.
Most victims cannot be named. The information blackout that hides them is itself part of the record. Names are added only from official public sources, after editorial validation.
From the primary witness — the Church itself — joined by independent institutions and the country’s highest Muslim authority, before the 2026 massacres.
Demands protection and prosecutions. The first written warning.
The World Council of Churches issues a pastoral statement.
The EHRC attributes responsibility to OLF-Shene. The Islamic Supreme Council condemns: “this act does not represent any religion.”
With a mandate to negotiate a lasting solution with the government.
The Prime Minister’s Office acknowledges the toll on June 5.
A Synod delegation is dispatched. The wave is ongoing.
Red marks an attack wave. Green marks an institutional response. Read from top to bottom: every warning was on the record before the next wave came.
With its verification level and sources. Dashed circles on the map mark protective imprecision. Entries marked under review are published with their current state of triangulation — publishing the review status is the methodology.
How to read the badges: Reported = one credible source · Corroborated = two or more independent sources · Verified = institutional confirmation. SRC = number of distinct sources behind the entry — full source register →
| Date | Incident | Killed | Verification | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-31 | Telata Chefa Oromia Day one of the East Arsi wave: nine Orthodox Christians killed on Sunday May 31, per the diocese's letter to the Holy Synod. | 9 | Corroborated under review | 12 |
| 2026-05-30 | Tefa kebele (Aleko Teleta) ; kebeles Zedibu, Erecha Michael, Sunte Mariam, Bogdo Abo, Lencho Ada, Jiso, Dire Oromia The East Arsi election wave, ongoing since May 30: 37+ killed (a toll acknowledged by the Prime Minister's Office), a century-old church burned, 280 households displaced; 28 more killed on June 5-7. | 37 | Corroborated under review | 1234567 |
| 2026-03 | Oromia Oromia Open Doors reports gunmen entering a church during service in March 2026 (location under verification). | — | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2026-02-26 | Kebele de Jawi (nuit du 26-27 fév.) et autres localités Oromia The Sherka/Merti wave: 34 killed in four days, including 21 - one of them a priest - in the night-time Jawi massacre; the EHRC attributes responsibility to OLF-Shene. | 34 | Corroborated under review | 1234567 |
| 2026-02 | West Hararghe Oromia Reported confessional widening of attacks in Oromia in early 2026, with Catholic victims (under review). | — | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2025-10 | Arsi / East Arsi Oromia Coordinated attacks on villages and religious sites across Arsi and East Arsi: 30+ killed; the World Council of Churches issues a pastoral statement. | 25 | Corroborated under review | 1234 |
| 2024-02-19 | Sasit Amhara A drone strikes a baptism procession at Sasit: 41 killed and 18 injured (The New Humanitarian investigation). | 41 | Corroborated under review | 1234 |
| 2023-12-28 | Oromia Oromia An aerial strike on the grounds of an Oromia church kills 8 and injures 5 as they collect corn; the government calls the reports an absolute lie (Reuters). | 8 | Reported under review | 12 |
| 2023-12-05 | Églises Sole Michael, Digelu Mariam, Robe Endeto Debre Mitmaq Mariam ; kebeles Sole Digelu et Tijo Lebu Oromia The Patriarchate's official register: 36 Orthodox Christians killed in Arsi, 28 of them taken from their homes and executed - victims aged 28 days to 70 years. | 36 | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2023-09-17 | Dembecha Amhara A drone strike kills 18 civilians returning from Sunday service at Dembecha - documented before the UN Human Rights Council. | 18 | Corroborated under review | 123 |
| 2023-09-04 | Kibet Central Ethiopia Inter-communal violence in Kibet (Silte): about 100 homes and businesses burned; 1,000 Orthodox Christians displaced to Butajira. | — | Corroborated | 1234 |
| 2023-05-28 | Dera Oromia OLA fighters attack an EOTC church in Tiyo district (Arsi): four killed, two of them priests, and two abducted. | 4 | Corroborated under review | 123 |
| 2023-05 | Debre Elias Amhara The army shells Debre Elias monastery for five consecutive days; witnesses say 95% of the roughly 600 people sheltering inside were killed, injured or displaced. | — | Corroborated under review | 123 |
| 2023-04 | Sodere Oromia Felege-Selam Medhanealem monastery looted; its accountant abducted. | 0 | Corroborated under review | 12 |
| 2023-03-24 | Addis Ababa (périphérie) Addis Ababa (périphérie) Kesis Abay Melese, a priest, is stoned to death on the outskirts of Addis Ababa; security forces seize witnesses' phones and delete the recordings. | 1 | Corroborated under review | 123 |
| 2023-03-02 | St. George Church, Menelik II Square Addis Ababa Police throw tear gas into St. George church (Addis Ababa) on Adwa Day, killing at least one person and injuring elderly worshippers and children; the EHRC finds the response excessive. | 1 | Corroborated | 1234 |
| 2023-02-04 | Shashamene Oromia Oromia special forces shoot worshippers defending St. Michael church, Shashemene: 8 killed per the EHRC, which found excessive use of force; the Church counts 13. | 8 | Corroborated under review | 123456 |
| 2023-02 | Nekemte, Gimbi, Dembidollo, Shambu, Asella, Shashemene, Chiro, Yabello, Jimma, Bulehora, Negelle Borena (liste EHRC) Oromia The Synod crisis: church seizures, mass arrests of clergy and faithful (over 200, 150 later released), beatings of black-clad mourners and administrative sanctions; the EHRC documents official support to the splinter group. | 8 | Corroborated under review | 12345 |
| 2022-10-29 | Gebre Guracha Oromia An armed militia kills a deacon and abducts 11 worshippers during a night liturgy at Gebre Guracha; nine were still held at year's end. | 1 | Corroborated | 12 |
| 2022-01-19 | Keraneyo Medhanealem, Woybela Mariam Oromia Oromia police reportedly open fire on the Timkat parade at Keraneyo Medhanealem church (Woybela Mariam): 3 killed, 10 injured. | 3 | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2021-07 | Addis Ababa Addis Ababa Police raid an Addis Ababa cathedral mid-prayer and detain a dozen ethnic Tigrayan priests and monks for several weeks. | 0 | Reported under review | 12 |
| 2021-03-05 | Abo Church, Debos kebele Oromia OLA fighters storm Abo Church (Debos, East Wollega) at the start of Lent, kill the church administrator and execute 28 worshippers in a nearby forest. | 29 | Reported under review | 12 |
| 2021-01 | Debre Damo Tigray Debre Damo monastery (6th century) bombed and looted by Eritrean troops; one monk killed and ancient dwellings destroyed. | 1 | Corroborated | 123 |
| 2021-01 | Tigray Tigray A church letter to the Holy Synod, reported by The Telegraph, records at least 78 priests killed in Tigray in five months by ENDF and Eritrean troops. | 78 | Reported under review | 123 |
| 2020-11-30 | Dengelat Tigray Eritrean forces open fire on Maryam Dengelat church during the feast-day Mass of Tsion Maryam; dozens killed (CNN, via the IRF report). | — | Corroborated under review | 12 |
| 2020-11-28 | Aksum Tigray Aksum, Nov 28-29: witnesses report up to 800 killed by Eritrean forces, including worshippers; an attack inside Maryam Tsion itself remains disputed (the EHRC found no evidence of it). | — | Reported under review | 12 |
| 2020-09-06 | Bulen / Guba / Wembera Benishangul-Gumuz Metekel attacks: about 160 civilians killed; Mahibere Kidusan records 80 EOTC followers killed, one church burned and 6,000 fleeing, hiding the signs of their faith. | 80 | Corroborated | 12 |
| 2020-07 | Shashamene et environs Oromia Post-Hachalu violence: the EOTC's field investigation finds 67 of its followers specifically targeted and killed across Oromia towns (EHRC: 123 killed overall). | 67 | Corroborated | 12345 |
| 2020-01-19 | Dire Dawa / Harar / Abomssa (Arsi) multi Timkat 2020: one killed and 21 EOTC faithful shot and wounded in Dire Dawa; processions blocked in Harar; two faithful killed in Abomssa (Arsi). | 3 | Corroborated | 12 |
| 2019-10 | Dodola / Adama Oromia October unrest in Oromia: a Dodola priest reports 8 killed and buried in his church, with 3,000 sheltering in its compound; 68 arrested in Adama. | 8 | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2019-09-27 | Addis Ababa Addis Ababa 55 EOTC faithful detained during Meskel-eve processions in Addis Ababa - 33 of them for T-shirts protesting attacks on the Church. | 0 | Corroborated | 12 |
| 2019-07 | Sidama Sidama (alors SNNPR) Sidama-statehood mobs kill a priest and two faithful, burn three churches and damage four more; 474 displaced shelter at Bore Debre Genet St. Mary. | 3 | Corroborated under review | 1234 |
| 2019-05 | North Shoa Oromia Armed groups reported attacking Orthodox churches in North Shoa Zone, Oromia (IRF 2019). | — | Reported under review | 1 |
| 2019-03 | Jijiga Somali Two churches attacked in Jijiga; 12 killed (March-April 2019). | 12 | Corroborated under review | 12 |
| 2019-02-09 | Durame SNNPR Ten churches of eight denominations destroyed in Durame after false rumours of mosque attacks. | — | Corroborated under review | 1 |
| 2019-01-21 | Dire Dawa Dire Dawa Youths stone EOTC faithful returning from Timkat celebrations in Dire Dawa; 84 arrests follow. | 0 | Corroborated under review | 1 |
| 2018-08 | Somali Somali Wave of attacks in the Somali region: 29 killed, including 8 priests, and around 10 churches burned amid the Jijiga crisis. | 29 | Corroborated under review | 12 |
| 2017-08-07 | Legetafo Legedadi Oromia Local authorities demolish an EOTC church at Legetafo and confiscate sacred items; the town cites illegal construction. | 0 | Corroborated | 1 |
Sources for every entry are archived at the time of citation. Full source register and verification definitions: methodology →