Armed men have kidnapped numerous bus passengers in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, the largest in the country, while they were en route from the capital, Addis Ababa.
Details about the abductions, which occurred earlier this week, are just beginning to surface.
The incident took place in Ali Doro, close to the location where approximately 100 university students were similarly taken last July while returning home from their campus.
Survivors and local officials have attributed those earlier kidnappings to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a rebel group active in the region, although the OLA denied any involvement at that time.
Regarding the recent incident, the OLA has acknowledged receiving reports of the abductions and stated that it is “conducting an investigation.”
A local media report indicated that the passengers were traveling to Debre Markos, a town in the Amhara region, when they were ambushed by armed men who engaged in a shootout with local security forces.
Another report mentioned that multiple buses were attacked, resulting in at least one fatality, with the number of abducted individuals potentially reaching 50.
The government has yet to comment on the kidnappings, and the BBC’s efforts to obtain an official statement have been unsuccessful.
Kidnappings of civilians, including passengers, have become increasingly frequent in this area, with armed groups previously demanding ransoms for the release of their captives.
The OLA claims to be fighting for the self-determination of the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, but has been designated a terrorist organization by the federal parliament and operates in various regions of Oromia, including the district where Ali Doro is situated.
