Two individuals were killed by gunmen in Sheko Woreda of the Bench Sheko Zone, as reported by Addis Maleda. The group has also recently killed a member of the zone’s special security unit. Residents have expressed that Sheko and the surrounding woredas, including Gura Ferda, have been plagued by violence for weeks, leading to ongoing displacement of people. The gunmen are breaking into houses, looting, and destroying properties.
The report emphasized that government security forces withdrew from the woreda since mid-May for reasons unknown to the residents. Despite raising their safety concerns to the zone and the woreda, the residents’ appeals have been stalled. The absence of security forces has created an enabling environment for the armed group to carry out organized robberies, particularly in the Senka locality.
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