Government military forces raided a Salesian missionary center in Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital, and arrested 17 priests, religious brothers, and employees, according to the report.

“We still do not understand what the reasons for such a serious act are,” said Father Mussie Zerai. “Why are priests arrested, who exercise their educational mandate, especially in a center that has always been committed to doing good, which has been visited by many children for years and where street children are rehabilitated?”

Ethiopian and Eritrean troops are fighting against the regional government and local rebels in the Tigray War, which began in November 2020.

The conflict has been marked by extreme brutality,
and the government has declared a state of emergency as rebels advance on Ethiopia’s capital.