(AG) Ethnic Koore Witnesses from Amaro Woreda of Southern Ethiopia said Oromo gunmen have escalated border attacks this week, leading to more deaths and destruction.

The latest attacks targeted Darba district of the region and the Oromo fighters crossed the Oromia border thru Guji Zone. Significant property has been destroyed while more locals are displaced adding to the thousands already displaced by the Oromo raids. The Amaro Woreda communication office had said at least 21 ethnic Koore have been killed so far in recent attacks. 

Koore activist Kebede Ture said the destruction has affected farming and local economy. Local analysts like Deyamo Dallie say these attacks from Guji-Oromia are a continuation of past irredentist claims that have expanded Oromia boundaries as several Koore territories have already been annexed.

While the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)- Shane is often blamed for the invasion, local residents say rogue Oromo Prosperity Party (PP) officials of Oromia enable OLA attacks due to shared expansionist agenda.

Western Guji is already involved in land disputes with other southern nations like Gedeo people. In recent years, increased Shane activity in Guji zone led to border conflicts that led to displacement of over one million ethnic Gedeos. The catastrophic violence and suffering led to massive fundraising campaigns to save Gedeo by Ethiopians worldwide led by activist and artist Tamagn Beyene.