Hundreds of ethnic Amhara civilians mainly women and children were killed in Hawa Gelan woreda of Kelem Wollega on Monday, July 4, 2022, as reported by BBC Amharic. Eyewitnesses told the BBC that bodies are still being collected, and the death toll could reach up to 150 people. More than 45 people were wounded, with many others forced to flee their homes.
The report includes a statement from the Prime Minister, who blames the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) for the attack. However, the spokesperson for OLA denies the accusation and shifts the blame onto militias affiliated with the government. The OLA spokesperson claims that the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and allied militias deployed in the region took no action.
Eyewitnesses, on the other hand, told the BBC that OLA militants carried out massacres targeting the elderly, women, and even children. They also stated that the gunmen abducted men from the area. Some killings took place inside a mosque, and residents of Mender 20 and Mender 15 were attacked with knives, gunshots, and bombs. Witnesses noted the absence of Oromo Special Forces or ENDF during the violence, with their presence only observed after OLA had left the scene.
According to the report, this violent incident occurred just five days after the government claimed full control of the security situation. Two weeks prior, a deadly attack targeted ethnic Amharas in West Wollega, Gimbi woreda, Tole Kebele, claiming the lives of hundreds. The government reported 338 victims, but eyewitnesses claim a higher number. The Amhara Association of America asserts 600 deaths and has identified 455 names related to the Tole massacre.
The report also mentions that Amharas settled in the area during the resettlement program following the 1985 drought. OLA has continuously targeted ethnic Amharas in West Wollega, Kelem Wollega, Horo Guduru, and West Shoa zones, resulting in the deaths of numerous women and children over the past four years.
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