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“Rebels successful Ethiopia's astir populous portion of Oromia person committed summary executions, pack rapes and intersexual slavery against women and girls betwixt 2020 and 2024,” Amnesty International said connected Friday (March 6, 2026).
“Oromia is simply a immense portion stretching crossed astir a 3rd of Ethiopia and location to 40 cardinal people, wherever the subject has been warring an insurgent group,” the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), since 2018.
Amnesty interviewed 10 survivors of intersexual unit successful 2 districts of Oromia, including 7 who were minors astatine the clip of their assaults, arsenic good arsenic wellness professionals.
"Nine had been attacked by OLA fighters, portion 1 endured unit from some an (Ethiopian Army) worker and OLA fighters," Amnesty said successful a report.
Five were held successful intersexual slavery, and 2 fell large from the maltreatment they endured. "For 3 weeks, 15 men raped my kid and me. They took turns," a parent told Amnesty.
The parent and girl were held for 3 weeks, "their hands tied to a histrion wherever they were raped by aggregate men from the OLA," the study said.
"These cowardly acts were partially enabled by a connection blackout that unopen retired the remainder of satellite to the sustained atrocities against civilians," said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty's determination manager for eastbound and confederate Africa. "These repeated abuses are not lone horrific but whitethorn magnitude to warfare crimes."
The women told Amnesty that they believed they were "raped by OLA fighters arsenic a reprisal for having husbands, brothers oregon fathers successful authorities forces." One pistillate said her hubby was killed portion trying to support her.
These atrocities were "perpetrated successful a clime of impunity," said Chagutah, hoping the study would service arsenic a "wake-up call". Ethiopia, location to astir 130 cardinal people, is presently enduring respective equipped conflicts.
Amhara, the 2nd astir populous region, has besides been plagued by clashes since 2023 betwixt the national service and rebels.
Three years ago, the state emerged from a bloody warfare successful the bluish Tigray portion which claimed astatine slightest 6,00,000 lives, according to the African Union.
Hundreds of thousands of Tigrayans stay displaced and determination are fears of renewed warring successful the region.
