attack on a town
\n NAIROBI
\nMilitia members from Ethiopia\u2019s second largest ethnic group killed dozens of people and torched and looted homes in an attack on a town in the country\u2019s restless Oromia region, survivors told AFP.
\nThe attack took place early Monday in Agamsa in Oromia, Ethiopia\u2019s largest and most densely populated region which is regularly rocked by clashes between the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups.
\n\u201cThe attackers attacked… from three directions using gunfire and continued their attacks until around 2:00 pm,\u201d a survivor, who fled Agamsa told AFP.
\n\u201cThey killed around 100 residents, torched many houses and shops and looted food warehouses using rickshaws, cars and motorcycles. I saw the attack with my own eyes, but managed to flee unharmed.\u201d
\nAnother survivor said the assailants stole cattle and killed more than 100 people.
\nBoth said the men were members of a militia based in the neighboring Amhara region. The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which is designated a terrorist organization by Addis Ababa, said the Amhara Fano militia staged the attack and killed at least 62 people in Agamsa.
\nNeither the regional or federal governments responded to AFP\u2019s demands for confirmation.
\nLocals said the attack came after rotating regional troops left the area on Sunday but had not been replaced.
\nA resident, who fled Agamsa but returned, said: \u201cI\u2019m still in Agamsa town but there is no government security forces presence. We\u2019re afraid the attackers will come again.\u201d
\nIn August last year, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said over 210 people were killed in a week of ethnic attacks in Gida-Kirimu, near Agamsa.
\nIn June, hundreds of mainly mainly Amhara civilians were killed in a restive area in the far west of the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
attack on a town NAIROBI Militia members from Ethiopia\u2019s second largest ethnic group killed dozens of people and torched and looted homes in an attack on a town in the country\u2019s restless Oromia region, survivors told AFP. The attack took place early Monday in Agamsa in Oromia, Ethiopia\u2019s largest and most densely populated region which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-281414","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n