A drone strike on a displaced people's camp in Ethiopia's Tigray state has resulted in significant loss of life. The strike, which occurred early Sunday, hit the IDP camp at Sheraro in western Tigray, killing at least eight people, including a child, and seriously wounding six others. According to an aid worker, the victims included a mother, her four children, and one grandson, along with three others.
The drone strike is part of a larger conflict that has been unfolding in Tigray. Fighting broke out between the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal forces on September 23, sparking fears of a return to the devastating civil war of 2020-2022 and a wider regional conflict. The conflict has already resulted in significant displacement, with thousands of civilians continuing to live in Tigrayan refugee camps.
The Ethiopian government has been consolidating control over the regional capital, Mekelle, which was long under the control of the TPLF. Federal forces have pushed back the rebel offensive and marched north to seize control of the city. The government has also been able to mobilise Tigrayans who oppose the TPLF's control of the state, including a militia called the Tigray Peace Force.
The conflict has sparked fears of a wider regional war, especially if the TPLF retreats across the border into Eritrea, which the Ethiopian government accuses of supporting the rebels. The leaders of Ethiopia's regional rivals, including Eritrea, Egypt, Somalia, and Sudan, met in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein on Sunday to discuss the conflict.
Experts warn that the conflict could have significant regional implications. According to Edward Bach of risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, the continued northward advance of Ethiopian troops and drone strikes in northern Tigray suggest that Ethiopian forces are preparing conditions for a conflict with Eritrea.
The situation on the ground remains volatile, with significant communication disruptions and restricted media access. In Mekelle, banks and petrol stations remained closed two days after TPLF leaders and troops abandoned the city to federal forces. Public transport was operating, and a few shops were open, as pro-government forces patrolled the streets.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not commented publicly on the current fighting, in keeping with Ethiopia's near-total shutdown of media reporting of sensitive issues. The conflict comes at a critical time for Abiy, who was expected to be appointed to a second term as prime minister when parliament returned on Monday following his party's emphatic election victory earlier this year.
Key points
- The drone strike on the IDP camp in Tigray has killed at least eight people, including a child.
- The conflict has sparked fears of a wider regional war, especially if the TPLF retreats across the border into Eritrea.
- The Ethiopian government has consolidated control over the regional capital, Mekelle, and is mobilising Tigrayans who oppose the TPLF's control of the state.
