ONM – East Wallagga, 29 May 2025
Federal forces loyal to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed have intensified a campaign of repression across the districts of Sibuu Siree and Guutoo Giddaa in East Wallagga, with local residents reporting widespread looting, extortion, and arbitrary arrests.
Sources in the area told Arraata Biyyoolessa that soldiers aligned with the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) have established a base in the village of Qixxeessaa, near a location known as Teelee. From there, they are reportedly operating roadside checkpoints under the guise of militia support operations.
Drivers passing through the area are being forced to pay 500 birr in unofficial fees, while pedestrians have reported being harassed, robbed of their mobile phones and money, and in some cases detained after being accused of being “new faces” in the community.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of military activity across Oromia, where PP-affiliated forces have been deployed to maintain the political dominance of Abiy Ahmed’s administration. Rights groups and Oromo advocacy organisations have condemned the military’s actions as deliberate attempts to intimidate local populations and suppress political opposition.
The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which has been engaged in armed resistance against the federal government, accuses the state of waging a campaign of collective punishment on Oromo civilians under the pretext of counterinsurgency.
Calls are growing among Oromo communities and international observers for urgent investigations into the conduct of federal troops in Oromia, as fears mount over continued violence and human rights violations.
