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Toronto – Four farmers who were reportedly kidnapped in Kore Zone, South Ethiopia, are killed.
Family members told DW Amharic that the kidnappers killed them in a horrifying manner after receiving 100,000 Ethiopian birr and a box of cigarettes.
They were kidnapped on Thursday in the morning and killed the same day. According to the source, they were kidnapped as they were looking after cattle.
The Kore zone administration has confirmed the killing. It linked the incident to armed groups operating in the area whom the zone administration described as “anti-peace groups.”
DW Amharic cited family members to report that the gunmen came from the west Guji zone of Oromia region. The gunmen took the kidnapped to a jungle nearby which is known as Kalia where they were slain. There had been recurring incidents of killings in the area by gunmen from the Guji area.
They were laid to rest on Friday, the source added.
The zone administration gave no further detail other than a social media update in which it confirmed the killings of the farmers but has linked it to unspecified “anti-peace forces.”
Awoke Hamzaye , a parliamentarian from kore constituency, told the source that the gunmen behind the killing are about sixteen in number. Noting that it has been a recurring problem, he sees two ways to resolve the problem. “There are two solutions. These are for the security forces to undertake a strong campaign to clear gunmen or to legally arm the people to protect itself,” he said.
Kidnapping has reached a crisis level in Ethiopia. It has become prevalent in different parts of the country. But the level of crisis in the Oromia region of Ethiopia is on a different level. It happens frequently and it’s more brutal.
There are allegations that the armed group operating in the region – Oromo Liberation Army – is working with government officials. Kidnapping has become like a business enterprise.
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