Tragic Drone Strike on Oromia Church Leaves Multiple Casualties

In a tragic incident reported by Addis Standard, a drone strike on the Full Gospel Church in Baro village, Kombolcha district, Oromia region, claimed eight lives and injured three others.

This incident occurred on 25 December 2023, while church members, including young artists Damena Lika and Dugasa Wakene, were gathering corn on the church grounds when the attack occurred.The injured are receiving treatment at Kombolcha City Hospital, but their survival is uncertain.

This attack is part of a pattern of increasing drone strikes in the region, following the breakdown of negotiations between the federal government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) two months prior.

Earlier in October 2023, over 12 individuals died in two separate drone strikes during the Irreechaa festivities in Kombolcha and Hababo Guduru districts. These incidents highlight the escalating conflict and its toll on civilians, marked by deaths, injuries, and displacement.

The situation in Baro village remains tense, with restricted movements due to ongoing clashes between the OLA and government forces. The community was also barred from attending the funerals of those killed in the church attack.