Armed men kill 5 farmers and loot over 200 cattle in Southern Ethiopia

Five farmers were killed last Thursday in an attack along the border of the Burji and Konso zones in Southern Ethiopia and West Guji zone of Oromia. Residents and local police officials confirmed that armed individuals from the West Guji zone carried out the surprise attack while the farmers were working on their fields and tending to cattle. In addition to the casualties, over 200 cattle were stolen, and property worth over 1 million birr was reported destroyed or looted. The Burji Zone administration condemned the attack and called on West Guji officials to hold the perpetrators accountable. Local police stated that the situation is critical and exceeds local capacity, noting they are reporting the matter to the regional government. Attempts to contact West Guji officials for comment were unsuccessful.