Ms. Shuke Wario is currently nursing her injuries on a hospital bed in Wolaita Soddo, as she continues to recover after the bus she was traveling in from Hawasa to Yaballo was ambushed by unknown criminals. Ms. Shuke is an employee of the Oromia Agricultural Ministry. She currently works as an extension officer based in the remote area of Dhas.
Ms. Shuke was born and brought up in Tulluu Fardaa District of Borana zone. During the incident, she was heading to Yaballo after attending a one week training in Adama on agro-pastoralist livelihoods.
The public service vehicle she was traveling in was attacked by unknown gunmen at a place called Magaadaa forest in between Bule Horaa and Yaballo on June 13th, 2023, according to an anonymous eyewitness who was in the same vehicle and spoke to OLLAA. Gunmen made an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to slow down and kept driving. The gunmen then fired on them indiscriminately. As the driver tried to run away, the bus slid off the road.
The criminals then entered the bus forcefully and robbed every passenger. One witness claimed to have lost 5,000 birr during the attack. “After the criminals left, we started checking on each other, we saw two individuals were already dead while six others were seriously wounded.”
The bullet fired by criminals hit Ms. Shuke’s left thigh, severely injuring her, according to the witness. An hour after the crime was committed, the police arrived at the scene. Ms. Shuke was rushed to Yaballo level four hospital, where she was attended to at the emergency area. Her wounds were dressed and later that evening she got a referral to the Wolaita Sodo Bones and Lips hospital.
Non- international armed conflict in the area
For the past three years, the area where the ambush and attack took place has been experiencing continuous active hostilities between Oromo Liberation Army and Ethiopia National Defence Force. Attacks on civilians and their properties are rampant and both parties have been accused of these acts on several occasions.
Non-international armed conflict involves governmental armed forces fighting against one or more non-state armed groups. Weapons bearers in such conflicts are required to adhere to rules regarding the protection of civilians. Civilian populations need to be respected by all parties to conflicts. Ill-treatment, harassment, and confiscation of civilian properties are prohibited during the hostilities. According to rules of war, in order to ensure respect for and protection of civilian populations and civilian objects, the parties to conflict shall at all times distinguish between civilian population and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives and direct their operation only against military objectives. OLLAA calls on all parties to conflict in the Oromia region of Ethiopia to protect civilian lives and their properties.