Multiple drone strikes have hit northern regions of Ethiopia since Thursday, killing at least 25 civilians, including children, witnesses and a medical source told AFP on Friday. The Ethiopian government has been fighting rebels in the states of Amhara and Tigray over the past month, using its large supply of drones to gain a decisive advantage. However, it has been accused of indiscriminate attacks that have resulted in civilian casualties.
In Amhara, a witness reported that four drone strikes were carried out on a camp for displaced people on Thursday. The strikes occurred just as students were returning home from school, resulting in significant damage and loss of life. According to Yasin, a witness who requested anonymity, 14 people were buried at the IDP centre, with two more dying while receiving medical treatment. Children and pregnant women were among the victims.
The strikes at the camp, located 400 kilometres northeast of the capital Addis Ababa, resulted in varying reports of casualties. Two other residents of the camp reported 14 and 15 deaths, respectively, including several children. Ahmed, one of the witnesses, recounted that his sister-in-law was killed, and her body was dismembered, making it difficult to locate.
On Friday, another drone attack in Tigray hit a grain lorry that had already been struck the night before, killing at least 11 people. A resident told AFP by phone that the drone strike hit a private vehicle carrying sorghum in the centre of Rama town. When people were collecting the scattered grain, another strike hit them, resulting in further casualties.
A medical source at a hospital confirmed that they had received 11 dead, while the ACLED conflict monitor reported that the drone strike was believed to have been carried out by the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), killing 12 civilians and injuring an unspecified number of people. Local residents described the attack as "heartbreaking" and "shocking," as it targeted young civilians.
The Ethiopian army did not respond to requests for comment. The fighting in Ethiopia has raised fears of an international conflict, as the Ethiopian army has advanced right up to the border with Eritrea, which has sent troops to support the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF has allied with other insurgent groups in other parts of the country, including the Fano in Amhara.
The situation in Ethiopia remains volatile, with concerns about the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict. The international community has called for restraint and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The Ethiopian government has been fighting the TPLF, which launched attacks against federal forces last month, but the rebels were ultimately pushed back and forced to abandon control of their strongholds in the northern state.
Key points
- At least 25 civilians, including children, have been killed in drone strikes in northern Ethiopia.
- The Ethiopian government has been accused of indiscriminate attacks that have resulted in civilian casualties.
- The conflict has raised fears of an international conflict, with the Ethiopian army advancing up to the border with Eritrea.
