Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)

Force in Play

Active; did not respond to requests for comment on the October attacks

Armed men killed at least 60 Orthodox Christians in two districts of Ethiopia's Oromia region, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said. The church reported 14 dead in Merti district on October 20 and 46 in Shirka district four days later. Residents told the BBC and Addis Standard that gunmen went house to house for nearly six hours, and that children were among the dead.

Updated Oct 29

Force in Play

As of October 2026: Member of the new alliance; fighting federal forces in Oromia since 2018

Seven Ethiopian armed groups announced a joint coalition on September 20, linking rebel movements from the country's largest regions under one banner. Three days later, Tigrayan leaders declared a new war with the federal government, and fighting has since spread into the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

Updated Oct 5