The conflict in Oromia
Updated 10 Oct 2026
The Oromo Liberation Army has fought government forces in western and central Oromia for years. Frontline records the clashes and attacks reported there, with their sources and grades.
Deaths are the sum of figures given in individual reports; reports can overlap and are not a Frontline count.
Key towns
| Town | Held by | Since | Latest report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nekemte | No verified report | Attack on civilians, 14 May 2025 | |
| Gimbi | No verified report | Attack on civilians, 17 Jan 2025 | |
| Ambo | No verified report | Battle, 10 Mar 2022 | |
| Shashemene | No verified report | Attack on civilians, 4 Feb 2023 |
Events per day since 20 Sep 2026
Latest events
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Imagery reviewed by the monitor shows the lowest level of Ethiopian Air Force activity at Harar Meda Airbase on 29 September, with the main apron almost cleared of aircraft after the suspected strike.
Drone strike · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Two small drones exploded inside the Ethiopian Air Force base in Bishoftu overnight on 26-27 September, killing a senior pilot and injuring two others, according to sources; unverified social media posts linked it to the Alliance for Survival.
Statement · Unknown place
Seven armed groups including Fano, the OLA and the TPLF announced an alliance named the Alliance for Survival aimed at removing the federal government.
Drone strike · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
ACLED said a drone struck the Bishoftu air force base, about 40km from Addis Ababa.
Statement · Unknown place
Seven Ethiopian armed and political groups, including the TPLF, the Amhara Fano National Movement and the OLA, announced an alliance aimed at removing the federal government.
Statement · Unknown place
ENDF chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said foreign forces were backing the new armed alliance, which he called Tsimdo, with Eritrea acting as a link, and warned the TPLF it faced destruction if it escalated.
Statement · Unknown place
Seven armed opposition groups (the Amhara Fano National Movement, Oromo Liberation Army, TPLF, ONLF, Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front/Ugugumo, Benishangul Peoples' Liberation Movement and Gumuz Peoples' Democratic Movement) announced a joint alliance, the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, with the stated aim of removing the federal government and establishing a transitional government.
Statement · Unknown place
Seven armed groups announced the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, aiming to replace the federal government with a transitional government.
Statement · Unknown place
The TPLF joined six other armed groups in an alliance to remove the government, and its spokesman said the Pretoria accord was no longer valid.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking showed a UAE Air Force C-130H Hercules (reg. 1211, callsign SAIL04) flying to Harar Meda Airbase on 18 September, where it stayed for a week before returning to the UAE on 27 September.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows a UAE government-linked Maximus Air An-124-100 heavy-lift cargo aircraft (UR-ZYD) flying from Al Reef airbase in Abu Dhabi to Mombasa and then on to Harar Meda airbase in Ethiopia.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows a Zebu Air IL-76TD cargo aircraft (7Q-ASU) flying from Al Reef Airbase in the UAE to Harar Meda Airbase near Debre Zeit on 23 August and then on to Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, flights the monitor links to the UAE using Ethiopia as a hub for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows the Il-76 cargo aircraft 7Q-VZZ flying from Al Reef Airbase in the UAE to Ethiopia's Harar Meda Airbase on 20 August and then to Bole Airport in Addis Ababa.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows a civilian-registered BAR Aviation L-100-30 Hercules transport aircraft (5X-PBR), operated by a Ugandan company owned by an Israeli businessman, making a rare flight from Entebbe to Harar Meda Airbase in Ethiopia on 13 August.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows the Il-76 cargo aircraft 7Q-VZZ flying from Al Ain in the UAE to Ethiopia's Harar Meda Airbase on 11 August before continuing to Bole Airport in Addis Ababa.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows a Gelix Airlines IL-76TD cargo aircraft (RA-76373) flying from Tbilisi, Georgia, to Harar Meda Airbase on 9 August while displaying Entebbe as a false destination, before returning to Dubai.
Statement · Bishoftu town, East Shewa, Oromia
Flight tracking shows an Aviacon Zitotrans Il-76TD cargo aircraft (RA-76846) flying from Al Ain Airport in the UAE to Harar Meda Airbase on 9 August, unloading cargo, then continuing to Addis Ababa Bole Airport.
Battle · Unknown place
The EHRC attributed civilian casualties in East Wollega, Guji and nearby areas to clashes involving the OLA, Fano and state military operations during June 2024 to June 2026.
Attack on civilians · Nono, West Shewa, Oromia
The EHRC reported insurgents killed civilians and burned homes in Nono Woreda of West Shewa and in Arsi during June 2024 to June 2026.
Attack on civilians · Abe Dongoro, Horo Gudru Wellega, Oromia
The EHRC reported armed militants killed 22 civilians in Abe Dongoro Woreda, Horo Guduru Wollega, during June 2024 to June 2026.
Attack on civilians · Unknown place
Residents said OLA gunmen killed three civilians, burned homes and took about 1,300 livestock in an overnight attack in the Gohatsion area of Worejarso.
Attack on civilians · Shirka, Arsi, Oromia
UCDP records an attack on civilians between Government of Ethiopia and Civilians in Arsi zone.
Attack on civilians · Ginde Beret, West Shewa, Oromia
UCDP records an attack on civilians between Government of Ethiopia and Civilians in West Shewa zone.
Attack on civilians · Tole, South West Shewa, Oromia
UCDP records an attack on civilians between Government of Ethiopia and Civilians in South West Shewa zone.
Attack on civilians · Dodota, Arsi, Oromia
UCDP records an attack on civilians between Government of Ethiopia and Civilians in Arsi zone.
Questions and answers
Who controls Nekemte?
Frontline has no verified report of who holds Nekemte as of 10 Oct 2026. On the map it is shown as unknown rather than with an old colour.
Who controls Gimbi?
Frontline has no verified report of who holds Gimbi as of 10 Oct 2026. On the map it is shown as unknown rather than with an old colour.
Who controls Ambo?
Frontline has no verified report of who holds Ambo as of 10 Oct 2026. On the map it is shown as unknown rather than with an old colour.
How many drone and air strikes have been reported?
Since 20 Sep 2026, 2 drone and air strikes have been reported here; 2 of them rest on at least one independent source.
What is the latest?
The most recent report Frontline has recorded, from 29 Sep 2026: Imagery reviewed by the monitor shows the lowest level of Ethiopian Air Force activity at Harar Meda Airbase on 29 September, with the main apron almost cleared of aircraft after the suspected strike.
How is this information checked?
Every event links to its sources and carries a grade. Only reports confirmed by an independent source (grades A and B) move the map; a party's own claim is shown as a claim and never changes it.