ADDIS ABABA: Conflict between the Ethiopian army and rebels in the country’s most populated region is having “devastating consequences” on civilians, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Thursday.
Africa’s second most populous country, home to some 130 million inhabitants, is being torn apart by several armed conflicts.
Oromia, which surrounds the capital Addis Ababa, has seen clashes since 2018 between federal forces and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), with peace talks failing to yield progress.
Authorities have classified the OLA as a “terrorist organization,” but it claims to be fighting for the rights of the region’s approximately 40 million inhabitants.
“The ongoing conflict in the Oromia region is having a devastating effect on many communities, particularly those in remote areas,” the ICRC in Ethiopia said in a statement.
