Abebe Worku, the chief administrator of Sululta woreda (district) in the North Shewa Zone of Ethiopia’s Oromia Regional State, has been killed in an attack by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a militant group.
The attack occurred Wednesday afternoon, 12th February 2025, in the “Moye Gajo” area, according to reports. Sources indicate that the OLA opened fire on Worku, his security chief, and several security forces who had arrived in the area. The security chief was reportedly abducted by the group following the attack.
An unknown number of security forces were killed in the ambush, and several others sustained injuries, requiring hospitalisation, sources said.
Months prior to this incident, Commander Legesse Seyoum, the district police commander, was also killed in a similar attack attributed to the same armed group.
The Oromo Liberation Army is described as an “outlawed” splinter group that broke away from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). The OLF was a formerly banned opposition party that was formed half a century ago and returned from exile in 2018.
Over time, the Oromo Liberation Front has splintered into at least eight different groups. These include the Oromo Liberation Army, the Oromo Liberation Front, a clandestine group known as Abba Torbe, and the Oromo Democratic Front, which has publicly denounced the use of violence.
The escalating violence in Oromia is part of a broader pattern of unrest that has plagued Ethiopia in recent years. The Prosperity Party-led government, under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has faced growing resistance from various ethnic and political groups, with Oromia emerging as one of the most volatile regions.
