ONM-ABO May 1, 2024,
On April 19, 2024, significant casualties were reported among Ethiopian government forces in a confrontation with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) at Qeelaa Daabbus, located in the Mana Sibuu district of West Wallaggaa. The Ethiopian government forces sustained substantial losses in the Mana Sibuu district as a result of the engagement. Following the clash, government forces assaulted the civilian population in the area, which aligns with the government’s operational tactics of targeting civilians following military setbacks to undermine support for the OLA.
In a related incident, two individuals were extrajudicially killed in Manna Sibu, also situated in the Mana Sibuu district, and an additional 25 persons were detained, with their current status remaining uncertain. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential severe mistreatment or execution of these detainees. The deceased have been preliminarily identified by their first names as Jireenya and Bultii, while the identities of the detainees have not been disclosed.
Local sources, who preferred to remain anonymous due to fears of reprisals, who reached out to the Oromia News Media (ONM) confirmed the incident and appealed to international human rights organizations. They requested the initiation of independent investigations into the ongoing hostilities and human rights violations in the region since the onset of the conflict.
