Over 150 Debark University students abducted from buses near Gerba Guracha; released after ransom payments
- Ref
- OHRM-2024-0227
- Date of incident
- Zone
- North Shewa
- Number of people affected
- 156
On 2 July 2024, OLA fighters stopped buses travelling from Amhara Region to Addis Ababa near Gerba Guracha and abducted passengers, mostly Debark University students. Local officials put the number at 156 and the regional government at 167. Students from some parts of Oromia were released next day; others were held until ransoms of 150,000–400,000 birr were paid.
Source: Ethiopian Human Rights Commission statement (Amharic (summarised in English)), published 2024-09-03. https://ehrc.org/%e1%8a%a0%e1%88%9b%e1%88%ab%e1%8d%a3-%e1%8a%a6%e1%88%ae%e1%88%9a%e1%8b%ab%e1%8d%a6-%e1%88%98%e1%8a%95%e1%8c%8d%e1%88%a5%e1%89%b5-%e1%89%a0%e1%89%b0%e1%88%b5%e1%8d%8b%e1%8d%8b-%e1%88%81%e1%8a%94/