ETHIOPIA · SECURITY
Ethiopia’s Human Rights Council (EHRCO), a non-governmental rights monitor, says civilians have been killed, kidnapped and displaced across four regions. It issued the warning in a statement dated Thursday, 22 October 2026, and urged federal and regional authorities to protect people who are not fighting.
The regions are Amhara, Gambella, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz, four of Ethiopia’s regional states. Aid workers, refugees and drivers on regional roads are among those the council names.
Key Facts
- Who The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), a non-governmental rights monitor, issued the statement on 22 October 2026.
- What It reports civilian deaths, abductions and displacement in Amhara, Gambella, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz regions.
- Killing EHRCO says Red Cross ambulance driver Mulugeta Andualem was killed in Benishangul-Gumuz on 14 October.
- Not confirmed We could not read the full statement; every incident is EHRCO’s account as relayed in press reports.
- Response The statement, as reported, carries no reply from federal or regional authorities.
A rights council says armed violence is hitting civilians, refugees and aid workers across four Ethiopian regions, and asks authorities to act.
What the Council Reports
EHRCO says it documented attacks by both government security forces and armed groups. They include heavy weapons fired at homes, shots at a public transport vehicle and attacks on refugees and humanitarian staff.
The incidents it lists run from mid-September to mid-October 2026. The council says the abuses breach rights to life, bodily safety, liberty and free movement under Ethiopia’s constitution and international law.
Amhara and Gambella
In Amhara region, EHRCO says heavy weapons struck homes in Sekota town on Friday, 25 September, killing one person and wounding two. Sekota lies in the Wag Hemra zone.
In Gambella region, the council says gunfire hit a public transport vehicle in Abol district on Friday, 18 September, causing casualties among passengers. It also reports civilian deaths in Gambella city in October and clashes after residents tried to bring complaints to the regional administration.
Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz
In Oromia, EHRCO says clashes in the East, West and Kellem Wollega zones have intensified since September. People who fled Gida Ayana district are sheltering in private homes with limited humanitarian access, and the council also flags abuses in Shirka and Honqolo Wabe districts of East Arsi zone.
In Benishangul-Gumuz, EHRCO says Mulugeta Andualem, an ambulance driver of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the national Red Cross organisation, was killed on Wednesday, 14 October, while on a humanitarian mission in Dangur district, Metekel zone. It adds that armed actors abducted truck drivers and logistics workers in Manbuk district two days later and demanded ransom from their families.
We could not confirm either incident beyond the council’s account. A district, called a woreda in Ethiopia, is roughly the local government level below a zone.
What Is Not Known
The full statement was not available to us, so every incident rests on EHRCO’s own reporting. Total casualty numbers, and who fired in each case, are not stated.
No response from the federal government or the four regional administrations has been published alongside the statement.
What It Means for You
For aid groups, drivers and anyone planning travel or business in these regions, the listed incidents include attacks involving a public transport vehicle, an ambulance and trucks. Check official travel advisories before any trip.
Related Rio Times reading includes the UN chief’s concern about Eritrean troops in Ethiopia and Ethiopia Explained 2026. Further background is in Who Runs Ethiopia’s Economy and on our Ethiopia news page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Ethiopian Human Rights Council?
EHRCO is a non-governmental Ethiopian rights monitor that publishes statements and reports on abuses. It is separate from the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, a state body.
Which regions does the statement cover?
It covers Amhara, Gambella, Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz. Each is a regional state with its own administration.
Has the statement been independently confirmed?
We could not verify the incidents independently; they are EHRCO’s account. Treat the details as reported, not confirmed.
Has the government responded?
No reply from federal or regional authorities appears in the statement as reported. We will rewrite this article if one is published.
Sources: Ethiopian Human Rights Council, statement of 22 October 2026, as relayed in press reports.
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