Thousands Of Christians Flee Deadly Violence In Ethiopia; Churches Burned

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (Worthy News)– Thousands of Christians are fleeing violence in western Ethiopia where Muslim extremists killed several Christians and burned dozens of churches, rights activists and officials said.

Advocacy group Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians in the Muslim-majority area, told Worthy News that 55 churches and dozens of homes are reported to have been torched in recent days near the city of Jimma, in western Oromia region, “with many more properties looted by the mob.”

Ethiopian government spokesman Shimelis Kemal said in a radio interview that two Christians had been killed in the incidents in the town of Asendabo and surrounding areas and that police reinforcements had moved in to restore order.

“In Jimma area, some extremists and some fundamentalists have instigated some people to burn a few prayer places, praying places, and this has been investigated by police and those who are suspected to have set fire on those churches have been apprehended,” he told the