Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from DW Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
DW Amharic - Abductions targeting travelers in North Shewa Zone of Oromia Region and their implications
August 8, 2024
Last week on Friday another abduction by militants took place in the North Shewa Zone of Oromia Region with a significant number of people taken from a public bus, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Deutsche Welle. Security forces who intervened managed to prevent several abductions, over 10 people remain under captivity of the captors.
Last week on Friday an abduction by militants took place in an area called Degem in the North Shewa Zone of Oromia Region with a significant number of people taken from a public bus, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Deutsche Welle.
Oromia Region officials who spoke to Deutsche Welle said security forces intervened during the incident and prevented the majority from being taken away but that they were unable to secure the release of 10 people.
One local resident who spoke under condition of anonymity and assurance their voice would not be used, said last Friday, August 2, 2024 (Hamle 26, 2016 EC) militants carried out the abduction in an area called Degem located between Fiche and Gerba Guracha in North Shewa Zone of Oromia Region which targeted a Tata public bus which resulted in deaths and abduction of a significant number of people.
The circumstances of the abduction
According to Deutsche Welle’s sources, in an area near Degem town which is located over 130 km from Addis Ababa, the militants broke into the vehicle and forcibly dismounted the passengers and immediately killed one local resident who was with the travelers, one traffic police officer and the driver, before taking away the rest of the travelers.
According to one source, when the captors took a large number of hostages to a rural kebele called Anokere, government security forces followed closely causing the militants to become startled after which between 7-10 of the passengers entered residential houses in the area and escaped abduction.
The abduction was carried out in close proximity to Degem town according to the source who said the militants immediately killed the traffic police officer and driver when they were unable to walk fast due to leg problems. The security forces quickly reached the area which allowed for some of the people to escape, however an unknown number of travelers were abducted and taken into the forests.
The regional government’s response to the abduction
The alleged abduction which took place on the Addis Ababa-Gojjam road where abductions have been known to take place, was confirmed to Deutsche Welle by Oromia Region Communications Bureau Chief Ato Hailu Adugna who explained it was done by the armed militant group known as Shene which operates in the region and is in an armed conflict with the government. The chief said “the abduction was carried out by the terrorist Shene” saying in recent weeks militants targeted travelers on the road by “observing the movement of security forces” as they committed the abduction.
Ato Hailu who gave his views on last Friday’s abduction said, “last week in the Degem area along the road from Addis Ababa to Gojjam an abduction was carried out on an autobus which targeted 44 bus passengers and the driver, the assistant and a traffic police officer who was on board were immediately killed.”
When the armed group attempted to abduct the other travelers, nearby government security forces intervened and had them released. Of the travelers only ten were abducted while over 32 were immediately released.
Efforts to rescue the hostages
Regarding the circumstances of the allegedly released travelers, Ato Hailu had the following to say. He said, “when they took them away, since all of them were not equally capable of movement, they took only the ones who were capable of moving but security forces will catch up to them”.
Regarding conflict in Oromia “innocent civilians are killed and because the risk is high people are afraid to speak about it”.
The official said work is underway to secure the release of the abducted citizens and that security forces are undertaking surveillance work. He said, “surveillance work is being done in areas where the people are expected to be taken so the hostages can be released before they face harm”.
When asked for a lasting solution to the problem he explained “it is risky to deploy security personnel to all areas outside dangerous ones” and called on people to cooperate and provide information to government security forces. He also explained efforts were underway to compel youth involved in armed conflict to return to peace.
The group which calls itself the “Oromo Liberation Army” and which the government refers to as “Shene” has yet to comment on the matter.
Repeated abductions in the Oromia Region have caught the attention of the international community and human rights organizations.
Over the last five years the government has repeatedly expressed it has been working to resolve fighting with the armed group in Oromia Region to ensure lasting peace in the region.
Seyoum Getu
Tamrat Dinsa
Shewaye Legesse
Comments