Attacks carried out against civilians and religious institutions were part of a broader effort to create instability, undermine public security and disrupt Ethiopia’s democratic process, the Office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said.

The prime minister expressed his condolences to families and communities in the Arsi zone who suffered the loss of loved ones, injuries, and the destruction of homes, including those targeted while worshipping at religious sites, in what he described as attacks carried out by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), also known as OLF-Shene.

The prime minister’s lengthy statement focused on the country’s seventh national election and what his government described as economic gains, including expanded financing for small businesses. It also condemned attacks in Oromia’s Arsi Zone.

At least 37 Ethiopian Orthodox Christians were reportedly killed in attacks in East Arsi Zone on election day, while a church was burned and more than 280 households were displaced.

Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch Abune Mathias expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling on security forces to stop the violence and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said the attacks were carried out “in coordination with the Fano extremist groups seeking to disrupt movement and public life by blocking roads and creating insecurity.” It added that security forces had prevented these objectives, which it said then shifted their focus to softer civilian targets intended to inflame religious and ethnic tensions and deepen social divisions.

The attack in Arsi Zone targeting civilians was not the first incident, but part of a pattern of violence that has occurred multiple times in recent years.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church—whose followers say they have repeatedly been targeted—have both previously called on authorities to ensure the safety and protection of residents.