Oromia is a vast region stretching across roughly a third of Ethiopia and home to 40 million people, where the military has been fighting an insurgent group, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), since 2018. Amnesty interviewed 10 survivors of sexual violence in two districts of Oromia, including seven who were minors at the time of their assaults, as well as health professionals. "Nine had been attacked by OLA fighters, while one endured violence from both an (Ethiopian army) soldier and OLA fighters," Amnesty said in a report. The women told Amnesty they believed they were "raped by OLA fighters as a reprisal for having husbands, brothers or fathers in government forces." Amhara, the second most populous region, has also been plagued by clashes since 2023 between the federal army and rebels.

Source: Ethiopian News March 07, 2026 12:20 UTC