At least 14 killed, 10 abducted in central Ethiopia

At least 14 people were killed and 10 others abducted by an armed group in central Ethiopia earlier this week, an NGO that tracks armed conflicts and a witness told AFP on Friday.

Africa's second-most populous country is facing armed groups opposing federal forces in its two most populous regions, Oromia and Amhara, while other parts of the country are also experiencing conflicts of varying intensity.

Several regions of Ethiopia have also been hit by waves of kidnappings for ransom, a phenomenon that observers say has grown in scale since late 2022.

At around 3:00 pm (1200 GMT) an "armed group identifying itself as the Fano militia attacked" Walga town, some 150 kilometres (93 miles) southeast of capital Addis Ababa, according to Jalale Getachew Birru, with the NGO ACLED.

"Between 14 and 17 people were killed, and more than 10 were abducted," she told AFP.

"Attacks by this group are common in this border area (between the Central Ethiopia and Oromia regions) and often involve large ransom demands for the release of abductees," she added.

According to Birru, the armed group is primarily involved in criminal activities and is not recognised by Fano leaders.

Fano militia began an insurgency against the government in April 2023 and, until recently, they consisted largely of autonomous groups without a central command, but many have banded together in recent months.

"Sixteen people have been killed... around 16 women and children are still in the hands of their captors," a resident told AFP, requesting anonymity, adding a ransom of 150,000 to 800,000 birr (roughly $918 to $4,900) had been demanded.

In September 2024, the state-affiliated but independent Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warned of an increase in kidnappings by "organised gangs" as well as "certain members of the government security forces".